Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has said drug abuse is responsible for about 80 per cent of the security challenges confronting the state, describing the menace as one of the greatest threats to the future of young people and the development of society
The governor stated this on Thursday at a public lecture organised to commemorate the 2026 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking held at the Auditorium of Sultan Maccido Institute for Qur’an and General Studies, Sokoto.
In March 2026, the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) said about 14.3 million Nigerians are involved in drug use, with youths accounting for a significant proportion of those affected.
The foundation described the trend as a national emergency, requiring urgent and coordinated intervention from government and other stakeholders.
However, represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idris Mohammed Gobir, Governor Aliyu said hard drugs were largely responsible for violent crimes and banditry across the state.
“The security challenges bedevilling our state are 80 per cent contributed by hard drugs. These people are taking serious hard drugs. No human being in his normal sense would look at another human being and take his life,” he said.
According to him, drug abuse destroys families, deprives young people of their potential, contributes to criminal activities and poses serious health and social risks.
“We want you to become presidents, ministers, governors and chairmen of important companies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But you cannot achieve that if you engage in drug abuse and drug trafficking,” he said.
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