The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday expressed worry that the recently banned codeine syrups and other related drugs have now found their ways into the Sambisa forest inhabited by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents.
The Red Chamber said not only the insurgents and soldiers were allegedly involved in drug addiction but residents of the terrorised communities in northern part of the country.
To this end, the senate has mandated its committee on drugs, narcotics and health to swing into action and report back for further legislative action.
This directive followed an order moved by the senate leader, Ahmed Lawan representing Yobe north senatorial district.
In his explanation, the Senate Leader said, “This drug abuse is what is killing us. More than 70 percent of codeine syrups and other narcotics find their way to Sambisa forest, and probably in the hands of the insurgents or the soldiers”.
He noted that the federal government recently banned the production and importation of codeine syrups, but maintained that there is so much abuse of the drugs in the country.
The Senate had in October last year sequel to a motion against massive abuse of drugs in Jigawa, Kano found out that over three million quantities of the banned syrups was consumed on a daily basis which made it to send a delegation to Kano to seek ways of its ameliorating the situation.
