The House of Representatives has set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the prevalence, regulation, and impact of drugs, tobacco, alcohol and illicit trafficking on Nigeria’s economy and public health.
Chairman of the committee, Oluwatimehin Adelegbe, who revealed this in a statement, said the committee was constituted following a House resolution to probe the growing rate of drug abuse among Nigerians.
He said the committee had been given an urgent mandate to identify the root causes, institutional weaknesses and enforcement lapses fueling substance abuse across the country.
Adelegbeurged Nigerians and relevant organisations to submit memoranda addressing their concerns and recommendations, which would guide legislative interventions ahead of its investigative hearing.
He added that the process is both investigative and participatory, noting that the House wants a coordinated, data-driven and sustainable response to the menace of drug abuse.