An NGO, Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA) has decried the rising spate of drug abuse and addiction amongst youths in the country.
The Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Jacob Pwakim, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Jos.
According to him, consumption of illicit substances by youths has posed serious challenge to the growth and development of the Nigerian society.
He explained that over 60 per cent of Nigerian youths consumed various forms of illicit drugs; a development he said had made them irresponsible to themselves and the society.
“When our young people get into drugs or do not go to school and we feel it is their problem, I feel we need some spanking as a country, because we are all sitting on a potential time bomb.
“The number of drug addicts in communities is on the increase, for me, it is dangerous to us a nation.
“If we allow this ugly trend to continue, soon we shall lack who will lead us.
‘’We will look for credible hands that will give us purposeful leadership in the nearest future and we won’t find any, “he said.
Pwakim called on the three tiers of government to intensify the fight against the production, sale and consumption of illicit drugs in the country.
He also called on religious leaders and traditional rulers to also educate the youth on the dangers of drug abuse.
The executive director also urged social workers to support government in its quest to end the menace of drugs abuse in the society (NAN)