PCRC, NDLEA, Police Storm UNIPORT with Drug Abuse Campaign

The Rivers State Commands of the Nigerian Police, the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Thursday took the campaign against drug abuse in the society to the University of Port Harcourt, UniPort.

Hundreds of youths, students from the Uniport and several secondary schools in the state, joined members of the PCRC, officials of the NDLEA and Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, etc, as they marched round the UniPort campuses during the campaign.

Addressing the crowd who later gathered at the University Convocation Arena, PCRC Chairman in Rivers State, Voke Emore said the 2025 campaign, with theme; War Against Drug Abuse. (WADA), was the third edition.

He said, “the PCRC has done this for two years running now and this is the third year. We did it in Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rivers State University and our idea is to drive home the message of the War Against Drug Abuse where our young people and even now some old persons abuse drugs, falling victims to drug abuse should abstain. We have alot of deaths and it need to stop.

“One of the causes of insecurity and the devices the enemy uses against young people that they carry weapon, commit crimes is drug. We want to say no to drug abuse. We have to put our hands on desk to keep speaking against drug abuse”.

NDLEA Commander in Rivers State, Ahmed Mamudu, represented by the Assistant State Commander, Drug Demand Reduction Unit, Grace Adeniyi, described drug abuse as a major problem ravaging the society.

He described the campaign as timely, and commended the PCRC for embarking on the sensitisation which he said will save lives.

“The programme is very important. Drug abuse is everywhere. If is not in your family is in neighbourhood. A drug dependent person is a risk to himself and everybody around.

“Prevention is better than cure. Don’t go into it. You will be able to avoid so much of the crisis because every other vice is committed under influence of drug abuse.”

“Our university campus is a place where nobody monitors your activities. You come on your own and stay on your own. Whatever anybody tells you, is your ability to say no, I will not be involved in it. So many of the students coming in are young minds, they are just 16 and above and the elders one will bully them into accepting use of hard drugs.

He called on stakeholders in the state, especially community leaders to join in the fight against drug abuse.

“We normally go community to leaders so they can join in fighting the drug abuse and trafficking. If stakeholders we join hands to say we want to fight this drug abuse, if we go for arrest, they will join us to pick fish out the people trafficking drugs. They also join us in sensitization.”

In his remarks the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, represented by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Choba Police Division, Ahmed Doma listed increased risk of chronic diseases, permanent damage to brain function, etc as dangers of drug abuse.

CP Adepoju urged students and everyone to stay away from drug abuse while reiterating the commitment of the Rivers Police Command in ensuring to drug abuse free state.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of UniPort, Professor Owunari Georgewill said the program is not for content creation but to create awareness on the ills of drug abuse.

Professor Georgewill stated that the university remains a citadel of enlightenment where Student should act ethically, morally.

“Our future cannot be built on abuse of substance. Today we form a formidable coalition against drug abuse.War Against Drug Abuse is not seasonal but continuous campaign.

“We want build a Nigeria where youth are not dependent on illicit drugs” Georgewill said.