By Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Yobe State Government has intensified efforts to curb the rising drug abuse crisis with moves to establish a dedicated body – Drug Abuse Control Agency – aimed at strengthening prevention, treatment and rehabilitation across the state.
The initiative follows growing concerns over the high cases of drug abuse, drug-related crimes, high cost of rehabilitation and the lack of functional treatment centres within Yobe.
Speaking to journalists in Damaturu, the State Focal Person on Drug Abuse Control, Malam Hassan Jakusko, said the proposed agency would provide the legal and institutional framework needed to confront the drug abuse menace in a coordinated and sustainable manner.
According to him, Governor Mai Mala Buni has consistently identified drug abuse as a major social and security threat, and is backing the establishment of the agency as a critical intervention to protect youths and restore social stability.
The governor recently reiterated this commitment at the Machina Annual Cultural Festival 2026, warning that substance abuse is increasingly becoming socially tolerated, if left unchecked.
Jakusko explained that a bill to establish the Drug Abuse Control Agency is currently before the Yobe State House of Assembly and, when passed, it will pave way for the creation of local rehabilitation centres, community-based prevention programmes and improved access to affordable treatment.
He disclosed that the agency is expected to work closely with the State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency and other relevant bodies to integrate drug treatment into the state’s health system, thereby reducing dependence on out-of-state facilities.
According to him, statistics from the state indicate that over 609 confirmed drug users urgently require rehabilitation, while more than 1,000 others need structured intervention, with drug abuse contributing to rising crime and social dislocation across the state’s 17 Local Government areas.
Jakusko called on lawmakers to fast-track the bill, describing the establishment of the agency as a state emergency, and expressed confidence that its passage would mark a major milestone in the Yobe State Government’s resolve to decisively tackle drug abuse and safeguard the future of its youth.
“Currently, patients are referred to the Maiduguri Psychiatry Hospital in Borno State for a minimum six-month programme, costing over ₦600,000 per person, a burden many households cannot afford to bear,” he said.
He commended hon. members of the Yobe State House of Assembly and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Yobe State, Barrister Sale Samanja for their tireless efforts in tackling the menace of drug abuse in the state.
