By: Odeh Favour Adiya
The Nigerian Army has sensitized students in Yobe State on the dangers of drug and substance abuse, with Sector 2, Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), highlighting the critical role of education in preventing the menace and its broader implications for national security.
The awareness campaign, held on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Government Girls Unity College, Damaturu, was led by the Commander, Sector 2 OPHK, Brigadier General Edet Effiong.
The programme, themed “Education as a Strategic Tool for Combating Drugs and Substance Abuse: Impact on National Security,” brought together more than 300 students drawn from various schools across Yobe State.
In a statement obtained from the official X handle of the Nigerian Army on Friday, Effiong speaking on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu described illicit drug use as a grave danger to the youth.
“Drug abuse is a threat to the well-being and future of our young people,” he said, noting that its consequences could extend far beyond individuals to families, communities, and national security.
He urged the students to make positive choices and rely on education and discipline to resist harmful substances.
“Education, discipline and positive choices must be your defence against harmful substances,” he told the students.
The Sector Commander emphasized that preventing drug abuse remains vital to broader national security efforts, particularly in denying criminal and terrorist networks opportunities to exploit vulnerable youths or profit from illicit activities.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to initiatives that strengthen community resilience through constructive engagement with young people and collaboration with relevant government agencies.
Also speaking, the Special Guest of Honour and Director of Schools Management in the Yobe State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Idriss Mohammed Fune, commended the military for the initiative and urged students to become advocates against substance abuse.
He encouraged the students to extend the anti-drug message to their peers, families, and communities, while calling on educators to sustain awareness of the dangers of drug abuse across schools.
The event featured educational presentations delivered by facilitators from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), during which participating students were presented with writing materials and souvenirs.
According to the military, the initiative forms part of the non-kinetic component of ongoing security efforts within the Joint Operations Area to tackle factors capable of fueling crime and insecurity.
Sector 2 OPHK assured that it will continue to complement military operations with preventive, community-focused initiatives to strengthen public awareness and long-term security across the region.
