Health
NDLEA to establish 6 standard rehab centres – Marwa
Published
5 years agoon
By
News Editor
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says it will establish six standard rehabilitation centres in each geo-political zone of Nigeria starting from 2022.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) disclosed this at the 5th Biennial National Symposium on Drugs and Drug Policy in Nigeria, held on Thursday in Abuja.
The theme of the symposium organised by the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA) is: “Substance Use, Additive Behaviours and COVID-19.”
Marwa, who was the Guest of Honour at the symposium, said that the decision was part of efforts to treat the high number of persons suffering from drug addiction in the country.
He said that when established, the centres would complement various efforts by the Federal, State and Local Governments.
Marwa said that three of the centres would start next year as already proposed in the 2022 budget.
“Substance use and abuse around the world including Nigeria is on the increase in terms of the proportion of the world population.
“Findings from the National Drug Use Survey (2018) conducted by the UNODC revealed that 14.4 per cent or 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15 to 64 years had used a psychoactive substance in the past year for non-medical purposes.
“This means that One in Seven persons has used some substances other than alcohol and tobacco.
“More worrisome is the finding that among every four drug users in Nigeria, one is a woman.
“Above findings of the survey by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) give a troubling portrait of drug abuse in Nigeria and we can no longer live in denial that Nigeria has a thriving illicit drug culture.”
He said that the agency had also appealed to state governments to build more habitation centers, as existing ones were inadequate.
The NDLEA chairman added that there was no doubt that substance use was impacting negatively on the individual, family and the society in general.
“Substance abuse affects the physical, social and psychological levels of the user and family members.
“Evidence has shown that COVID-19 infections are higher or more common with people diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders (SUD).
“Hence, addiction care must be reinforced in order to avoid complications of SUD and COVID-19.
“Reducing the demand for illicit drugs in the society depends to a large extent on the successful treatment of existing drug users.
“This fact accounts for the shift in global drug policy viz the treatment of drug problems as a public health issue.
“Consequently, we have operationalised our Standard Practice and Policy Guidelines, a treatment and rehabilitation document developed in conjunction with UNODC.
“The document, like a field manual, provides synergy among our counsellors and further boosts our capability at treatment and rehabilitation,”Marwa said.
He enjoined all stakeholders and individuals to join NDLEA war against the growing threat of substance in the nation, saying that NDLEA could not do it alone.
The Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary and Public Petitions, Mr Luke Onofiok, described drugs and substance abuse as delicate issues that were fast gaining attention in Nigeria and the world.
Onofiok said there was increasing indulgence of Nigeria populace in the injurious pastime of hard drugs consumption.
“The statistics are scary, to say the least, considering the impact of drug use on the economy, productivity, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), crime, law enforcement and governance.
“The situation should raise concerns among policy makers and among parents, most of whose children are vulnerable, and could slip into the unhealthy drug consumption vortex.’’
Onofiok said there was a broad consensus that many crimes committed in the society involved individuals who were under the influences of either alcohol or drugs.
He urged government and policy makers to make available funding to establish treatment facilities and to support and expand existing ones like the Drop-in-centres, earlier initiated and supported by the European Union/UNODC.
“Research and very delicate studies have yielded interesting results, indicating that most drug users who were incarcerated, did not return from supposed correctional facilities better than they went in.
“Whereas those who were committed to treatment facilities turned out with more positive outcomes; most were likely to kick the habit,’’Onofiok said.
The Executive Director of CRISA, Prof Isidore Obot, said it was not a surprise that the institute decided to focus the theme of the symposium on the link between psychoactive substance use and COVID-19.
Obot said that the pandemic that has wreaked havoc and continues to inflict pain across the world, including in Nigeria.
Obot said that: “The use of illicit drugs like cocaine and heroin, and illicit substances like alcohol is associated with COVID-19 in several ways.
“In countries where data are available, we have seen that the stress, anxiety and depression brought about by COVID have led to an increase in the abuse of stimulants, opioids, alcohol and benzodiazepines.
“During the pandemic, we have seen a spike in opioid overdose and related mortality; harmful use of alcohol (in terms of frequency, quantity and type) has been reported in several countries.
He noted that the pandemic also had a clear impact on drug supply.
Highlights of the occasion include public presentation of a book entitled “CRISA 30 Years of Impact’’ and cutting of cake to mark CRISA 30th Anniversary. (NAN)
You may like
Health
2 Abuja Doctors, 2 Others Arrested Over Organ Harvesting in Abuja
Published
2 months agoon
September 2, 2026
Two medical doctors and two other suspects have been arrested in Abuja for organ harvesting by the Nigerian Police Force in late August 2026. They were arrested for allegedly running an organ harvesting and human trafficking network operating between Abuja and Nasarawa State.
The arrested medical practitioners are Dr. Benjamin Oyime (a 48-year-old kidney consultant) and Dr. Daniel Otukpa (a 53-year-old Acting Director of Clinical Services).
Both nephrologists are linked to Wellington Clinics (Wellington Hospital) in Life Camp, Abuja.
The arrests were executed by the Special Tactical Squad (STS-FID) following an investigation brought to light by social media activist Martins Vincent Otse (popularly known as VeryDarkMan or VDM) and his team.
The victim, a 22-year-old man named Samuel Ezekiel approached the activists after medical scans at independent hospitals verified that his left kidney was missing.
The 23-year-old intermediary, Emmanuel Ode, allegedly confessed to recruiting Ezekiel and bringing him to Wellington Hospital for the illegal surgery.
Investigators report that the victim was manipulated into signing official consent documents under a fake name, “Isa Abubakar”.
It was further revealed that the victim was allegedly paid ₦1.7 million for the kidney, while legal representatives allege that the black-market syndicate resells these harvested organs to wealthy recipients for ₦50 million to ₦70 million.
Activists and lawyers from the Martin Luther King Centre fear that this is not an isolated incident, estimating that more than 10 young Nigerians may have fallen victim to this specific ring.
Following the police raids and public outcry, Wellington Clinics Abuja issued an official statement denying any deliberate involvement in commercialized organ trafficking. Meanwhile, the private facility immediately suspended all kidney transplant and services effective August 31, 2026, while the criminal investigation continues.
NewsBlast recalls that this case reflects previous enforcement actions by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in which it arraigned doctors from Alliance Hospital in Abuja for similar black-market kidney transplants.
Furthermore, under the National Health Act, trading human organs for commercial gain or charging a fee for transplants carries severe criminal penalties in Nigeria.
Health
FG Target 20,000 Yearly Medical Intakes Across Six Geo-political Simulation Centres
Published
2 months agoon
August 31, 2026
To counter the rising trend of Nigerian-trained health personnel migrating for greener pastures abroad, the Federal Government is expanding the country’s healthcare workforce and strengthening practical training for medical and other health professional students.
Consequently, it has disclosed plans to increase the annual medical school admissions to 20,000 within the next three years. Along with this is the targeted establishment of world-class medical simulation centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Medical Simulation Committee.
This was part of a statement issued on Sunday and signed by Ikharo Attah, the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Education.
Alausa said the proposed centres would provide world-class practical training for medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and other allied healthcare students. The said:
“I would like to thank the members of the committee that has worked so hard and assiduously to get us to this point in which we are now talking about building several simulation centres across the country to provide world-class training for our medical students, dental students, nursing students, pharmacy students and other allied healthcare professionals.”
Alausa said the expansion had become necessary to meet the country’s health needs.
He disclosed that nursing enrolment, which stood at about 38,000 three years ago, had risen to more than 120,000 students across nursing schools in the country.
The minister added that annual admission into medical schools had increased from about 5,000 students when Tinubu assumed office to almost 12,000 currently.
“Today, I’m happy to report that we’re admitting almost 12,000 students. Our goal in the next three years will be to increase the number of annual medical student enrolment in medical schools to about 20,000.”
He added that the number of students admitted into pharmacy and dental schools had also increased.
The minister commended the Chairman of the Medical Simulation Committee, Dr Wale Suleiman, and other members for their work in preparing the report and advancing plans for the centres.
He said the initiative would help ensure that the increasing number of students entering healthcare professions received adequate practical training.
The planned expansion comes against the backdrop of persistent concerns over the migration, popularly known as “Japa,” of Nigerian doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals seeking better remuneration, working conditions and career opportunities abroad.
The migration of health workers has raised concerns among professional bodies and health-sector stakeholders about its impact on Nigeria’s already strained healthcare system, particularly shortages of skilled personnel in public hospitals.
With the proposed simulation centres, the government is seeking to expand training capacity while improving the quality of practical education for a growing pool of health professional students.
Health
Best way to Eat Fruit is on Empty Stomach — Prof. Ken Anugweje
Published
2 months agoon
August 29, 2026
This will open your eyes to the full benefits of eating fruits!
*Prof Anugweje has been treating terminal ill Cancer patients by an *”unorthodox” way and many patients recover. He is also a sports medicine specialist.*
He insists that all athletes eat fruits on empty stomach.
Before he used solar energy to clear the illnesses of his patients, he believes on natural healing in the body against illnesses. See his article below.
It is one of the strategies to heal cancer. As of late, my success rate in curing Cancer is about 80%.
Cancer patients shouldn’t die. The cure for cancer is already found – it’s in the way we eat fruits.
It is whether you believe it or not.
I am sorry for the hundreds of Cancer patients who die under the conventional treatments.*
*EATING FRUITS*
We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths.
It’s not as easy as you think. It’s important to know how and when to eat the fruits.
*What is the correct way of eating fruits?*
*IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS!*
FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH:*
If you eat fruits on empty stomach, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.*
*FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.*
Let’s say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit.
*The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so due to the bread taken before the fruit.*
In the meantime, the whole meal of bread & fruit rots and ferments and turns to acid.
The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.
*So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals!*
You have heard people complaining :
Every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc.. etc..
*Actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach.*
The fruit mixes with the putrefying of other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat !
*Greying hair, balding, nervous outburst and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.*
*There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter.*
If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the SECRET of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.
When you need to drink fruit juice – drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans, packs or bottles.
*Don’t even drink juice that has been heated up.*
*Don’t eat cooked fruits because you don’t get the nutrients at all.*
You only get its taste.
Cooking destroys all the vitamins.
But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice.
If you should drink the fresh fruit juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it.
*You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse or detoxify your body.*
*Just eat fruits and drink fresh fruit juice throughout the 3 days.*
And you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look !
*KIWI fruit:*
Tiny but mighty.
This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.
*APPLE:*
An apple a day keeps the doctor away?
Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.
*STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit:*
Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging and free radicals.
*ORANGE: Sweetest medicine.*
Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.
*WATERMELON:*
Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system.
They are also a key source of lycopene the cancer fighting oxidant.
Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.
*GUAVA & PAPAYA:*
Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content.
Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation.
Papaya (pawpaw) is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.
*Drinking COLD water or drinks after a meal = CANCER.*
Can you believe this ?
For those who like to drink cold water or cold drinks, this article is applicable to you.
It is not nice to have a cup of cold water or cold drinks after a meal.
However, the cold or drinks will solidify the oily stuff that you have just eaten.
It will slow down the digestion.
Once this ‘sludge’ reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food.
It will line the intestine.
*Very soon, this will turn into FATS and lead to CANCER!*
*It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.*
*Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.*
Prof Ken Anugweje, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Latest News
2027: ADEOLA YAYI VOWS TO TURN ILARO INTO ‘SMALL LONDON’, TARGETS 60,000 VOTES
ShareSenator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, has reiterated...
COAS SHUAIBU ARRIVES IN BORNO AS TINUBU ORDERS NATIONWIDE RESCUE OF ABDUCTEES
Share The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, on Saturday arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State, following President...
Adubiaro Expresses Gratitude to Oyebanji Over Reappointment as Ekiti SSG
Share Prof. Habibat Omolara Adubiaro has expressed profound gratitude to Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, for reappointing her as...
EKITI GOV’S PRESS CREW CONGRATULATES OYEBODE ON RE-APPOINTMENT AS CPS
Share…Says re-appointment reflects years of experience, professionalism, dedication The Press Crew of the Ekiti State Governor has congratulated...
Oyebanji Makes First Appointments in Second Term, Retains SSG, Chief of Staff, CPS
Share Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has made his first set of appointments following his inauguration for a second term...
