The Federal Government has warned that drug abuse and illicit trafficking pose a direct threat to Nigeria’s national development, describing the fight against the menace as a shared responsibility that cannot be left to any single agency or sector.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ibrahim Kana, gave the warning at the National Drug Use Summit, jointly convened by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Abuja on Wednesday.

Speaking on the summit’s theme, “Addressing Illicit Drug Use and Trafficking: A Call to National Action,” Akume said the fight against drugs required a collective national response.

“It is a glaring call to every Nigerian in government and out of government to recognise that the fight against illicit drugs is not the burden of one agency, not the burden of one ministry, not the burden indeed of one sector alone. It is a national responsibility that calls for a national response,” he said.

He noted that drug use and trafficking had grown into major global threats to public health, national security, social cohesion and economic development, and that Nigeria was not immune to these pressures.

“We continue to witness with great concern the devastating toll of substance use disorders on our people, which includes rising cases of mental illnesses, broken families, interrupted education, unemployment and, of course, crime,” he said.

He identified young Nigerians as the most vulnerable to drug abuse, warning that their exposure to addiction was a threat to the country’s future.

“Their vulnerability to drug abuse and addiction is not merely a personal tragedy for each affected family. It is a direct threat to our national development,” he said.

Akume also raised concern over the growing links between drug trafficking and other organised crimes, including violent extremism, banditry, kidnapping and money laundering, saying such networks “prey upon the vulnerabilities within our communities.”

He stressed that substance use disorders were not merely criminal justice issues but complex health and social challenges requiring coordinated responses.

“No single institution, however capable, can address this problem in isolation.

“What is required therefore is a whole of government approach, a whole of society approach,” he said, listing families, communities, schools, healthcare providers, security agencies, the private sector, faith-based organisations and civil society as key stakeholders.

He also called for enhanced intelligence sharing and interagency collaboration against trafficking, improved research and data systems, and the building of resilient communities capable of responding to drug-related problems.

“No nation can achieve sustainable development when its young population is threatened by drug abuse and addiction,” he said.

In his welcome address at the ceremony, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (retd), stated that the summit was convened as a national platform for reflection, dialogue and collective action on the growing burden of drug use and substance use disorders.

He noted that despite the efforts and successes recorded in recent years by NDLEA in drug supply and drug demand reduction, it has become increasingly clear that no single institution can successfully confront the drug problem in isolation.

“The scale of this challenge demands a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response, one that mobilises every stakeholder: government institutions, communities, families, development partners, the private sector, religious and traditional leaders, civil society and the media.

“This summit is, therefore, both timely and necessary. It aligns with the global call to confront persisting drug challenges with innovative, collaborative responses, and it offers us a unique opportunity to build consensus around a coordinated National Action Plan, one that strengthens prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, data collection, policy implementation and community resilience.

“Over the years, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has remained steadfast in its mandate to combat this menace through a balanced and comprehensive approach,” he added.

Speaking on the supply reduction front, Marwa said the agency recorded significant successes in drug seizures, arrests, convictions and the dismantling of trafficking networks.

“Our operational feats in the last 18 months alone speak to this: a total of 29,262 arrests leading to the seizure of 5,305,484.88 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs valued at over N1.5tn and the conviction of 5,225 offenders.

“We have broadened access to counselling, treatment and rehabilitation services, while advancing preventive interventions such as our school-based Non-Punitive Drug Testing Policy.

“Within the same period of 18 months, we have conducted 6,645 drug use prevention-focused sensitisation and awareness creation programmes in schools, worship centres, workplaces, markets, motor parks, communities, and correctional facilities, among others, equipping nearly five million Nigerians with the life skills to resist drug abuse.

“Equally significant is the counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of 13,508 drug users across our 31 rehab centres spread all over the country.

“Worthy of particular note, too, is the launch of the Alternative Development Initiative for cannabis sativa growers, designed to support their transition from illicit cultivation to cash crop production and other sustainable livelihoods.”

He expressed confidence that through partnership, shared responsibility and sustained commitment, Nigeria could significantly reduce the burden of drug use and build a healthier, safer and more prosperous nation.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, urged that the summit must not end as a talk shop.

“The measure of this summit will not be the communique. It will be the number of young people who choose not to start using drugs. It will be the number of patients who sleep without pain. It will be the number of families restored.

“The Federal Ministry of Health stands ready to lead, to coordinate, to collaborate and to deliver.”

Also speaking, the Country Representative, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Cheikh Toure, represented by Dr Akanidomo Ibanga, commended the strong collaboration across ministries, agencies, civil society, the private sector, and development partners, adding that the gathering was a powerful demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to addressing the drug challenge in a coordinated and forward-looking manner.

According to him, “As the United Nations, we stand here today not as individual agencies, but as one system—united in our support to Nigeria.

“The UN family is working collectively to support a comprehensive, balanced, and evidence-based response. We meet at a critical time.”

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A new global survey by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is challenging several widely held assumptions about declining fertility, concluding that economic constraints—not a rejection of family life, feminism or selfishness—are limiting many young people’s ability to have children.

The findings come from the Demographic Futures Survey, which gathered responses from more than 108,000 internet-connected adults aged 18 to 39 across 73 countries and territories.

According to the Tuesday report obtained by our correspondent on the UN website, public debate about falling fertility has often focused on the wrong questions, asking “whether young people still value family life rather than examining what conditions are needed for them to form relationships and raise children.”

UN data cited in the report shows the average number of births per woman has declined from around five in the 1950s and 1960s to just above two in 2024 and is projected to fall to 1.8 by 2100.

More than 55 per cent of countries and territories now have fertility levels below the replacement rate of 2.1 births per woman.

Despite these trends, the survey found that the desire for parenthood remains strong.

Most respondents already have children, while among adults aged 35 to 39 without children, 79 per cent of men and 72 per cent of women said they still wanted to become parents.

The report also challenges claims that feminism is responsible for declining fertility, noting that many women continue to lack autonomy over their reproductive lives.

According to UNFPA, roughly one in ten women are unable to make decisions about contraception, about one-quarter cannot make decisions regarding their own healthcare, and about one-quarter are unable to refuse sex.

The survey found that men and women held broadly similar views on family-related decisions, although women consistently rated barriers such as financial concerns, infertility and chronic health conditions as more significant than men did.

UNFPA also rejected suggestions that young adults are unwilling to become parents.

As the report states, “most people are not selfishly refusing to become parents, nor are they waiting for babies to promise a better return on investment.”

Instead, respondents most commonly cited the joy and happiness children bring as their reason for wanting to become parents.

“Young people carry an inspiring sense of hope and a clear vision for their families and futures,” said Diene Keita, Executive Director of UNFPA.

“When we break down financial barriers and support their agency, they can make the choices that are right for them. By investing in their dreams today, we are building a more resilient and thriving tomorrow,” the report stated.

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Nollywood actress Cynthia Anijekwu has made an emotional appeal to Nigerians for financial assistance after revealing that she is battling cancer for the second time.

In a video circulating on social media on Tuesday, the actress disclosed that she was first diagnosed with cancer in 2023, when she underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy in a bid to halt the disease.

She maintained that doctors initially managed the condition after the treatment, but the cancer later returned and has since spread to her bones, requiring more intensive care, including radiation therapy and another surgery.

According to Anijekwu, recent medical examinations revealed that the cancer has spread to her bones, significantly increasing the cost and complexity of her treatment up to N600,000 every month.

The actress said doctors have recommended radiation therapy and another surgery as part of her ongoing care.

“I have cancer in 2023 (sic). I did my surgery and took chemotherapy, but later it came back again. I’ve been in and out of the hospital. The doctor recently told me it has reached my bones, and the treatment is now much more expensive,” she said.

“I need to live. I need to survive. I’m asking Nigerians to please help me. Anyone that can help, please, I need help. Even my hands have swollen. The cancer has affected both breasts. I need to live. Please help me. I need to survive.

“Your one naira, your two naira can add up to something reasonable for me to get the proper treatment for this cancer. I’m begging you, please help me,” she pleaded.

Before her health challenge became public, Anijekwu built her career in Nollywood, featuring in several English- and Igbo-language productions.

However, there is no publicly verifiable record identifying a major blockbuster film or comprehensive filmography associated with the actress, as public attention has largely shifted to her battle with cancer in recent years.

The actress said the financial burden has become overwhelming for her family, prompting her to seek help from members of the public.

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