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| Sitting from far right to Left:Quadri Oyindamola; Arulogun Victoria, both from Supreme Education Foundation, Magodo Ikeja, GRA; Claudius Naomi;Abdulazeez Aishat, both from Ikeja Senior High School, Ikeja Lagos;;Olajolo Akinloluwa and Adereti Mofiyinfoluwa both from Wellspring College, Isheri Ikosi GRA, Lagos; Olagoke David and Afolabi Tioluwanimi from Peaceville International Academy, Redemption Camp Ogun state, during the Second Edition of the UNA-Nigeria World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2025 Debate Competition in Lagos, on Tuesday. |
Stakeholders at the UNA-Nigeria World No Tobacco Day schools Debate competition have condemned the recruitment of Nigerian youths as drug couriers, noting that it is the new tactics being employed now by drug barons who promise them enticing offers.
The stakeholders spoke at the UNA-Nigeria schools Debate competition which it organised to commemorate this year's ' World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) at Avi- Cenna International School, Harold Shodipo Crescent, Ikeja GRA.
Speaking, Assistant Inspector General of Police In charge of Zone 2 Adegoke Fayoade and CN Abubakar Wali, State Commander National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also cautioned the youths against tobacco use.
Presenting the topic 'Exposing the Lies, protecting lives , the Police boss noted that according to WHO report , over 30 million children between the ages of 13-15 years use tobacco which affects their health and eventually lead to untimely death with an advise to youths not to allow peer group pressure lead them to tobacco usage because of it's health hazards.
"Tobacco is a killer product because it contains nicotine that is injurious to health. The alarming rate at which children are being attracted to it is worrisome and we must do all within our powers to check it.
"A recent WHO report indicates that over 30 million children between the ages of 13-15 use tobacco and this has led to incidences of kidney and liver failure, lung cancer, stroke, Diabetes and death a d as such we must all join hands to stop it's usage", he stated
AIG Fayoade noted that tobacco education should start from the family, charging parents to take interest in what their children do to avoid them falling victims to tobacco and narcotic use which may lead to severe consequences.
In his own submission, the NDLEA Commander who was represented by Assistant Commander of Narcotics, Mulikat Adunni explained that tobacco contains about 400 chemicals with nicotine which are injurious to health positing that it's important youths not only shun it's usage but join in the campaign to ban it.
He explained that over 8 million lives are lost evey year through tobacco related illnesses just as he cautioned youths against being recruited as drug couriers which he said is the new tactics being employed now by drug barons who promise them enticing offers.
"It is important that as we caution the youths against tobacco usage, we should also advise them against they falling victims to drug barons who have now resorted to using innocent children as couriers because the punishment for that is very severe.
The two security Chiefs were of the opinion that outright ban of tobacco is necessary in order to save guide lives since the producers of the product do not care about the health hazards but only interested in their profit.
In her paper, one of the guest speakers, Ekanem Adeleke of Advocacy, Peace and Security Committee UNA- Nigeria, explained that dry leaves of tobacco contains nicotine which have stimulants that causes cancer, stroke, heart diseases and other sicknesses that eventually leads to death.
Adeleke while identifying pleasure and self relief in social gatherings as the main causes of addiction to tobacco, accused tobacco industries of spending millions of dollars on advertisment without caring about the havoc their products is causing to the public.
Highlight of the event was a debate by four secondary schools on the topic, the need to begin namely campaign against tobacco use from the primary schools.
Schools that took part in the debate are; Well Spring College, Omole Phase 1, Ikeja Senior High School, Peace Ville International Academy, Ogun State and Supreme Education Foundation School, Magodo.
Speaking on the debate, Ephraim Abutu Ali, Programme Coordinator of UNAN operating under the Education and capacity Building Committee described it as amazing noting that they decided on the debate because tobacco usage is becoming a problem in Nigerian schools.
