Stories from UNODC Nigeria

Stories of Hope: Responding to the Drug Use Epidemic in Nigeria: Series 3 How Etim Reunited with His Family

Abuja, 19 March, 2021-Etim is a student from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria who started using cannabis while in school because he wanted to fit in with his peers. Over time his consumption became more and more frequent eventually turning into a full-fledged drug use disorder. To fund his habit, he stole from his family and was consequently asked to leave the family home.His cannabis consumption disrupted his school life leading him to move from one school to another. Alienated from his family, Etim eventually ran away from home, moving to another town to start a new life. "My father used to beat me mercilessly. I felt hated by my own family. My father kept telling me I would die" said Etim.

However, Etim did not lose his life, thanks to the intervention of his sister, who is also a health worker. Mrs. Daniel took him on a new pathway to recovery. She recalls: "We stigmatized him to the extent that he was no longer comfortable with us. Sometimes, he would come to the house, steal my father's ATM card, withdraw over N300,000 and disappear for about three months. We wished that he stayed away forever" said Mrs. Daniel.[Read More]

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Launch in Nigeria of the new STRIVE action STRIVE Juvenile: Preventing and Responding to Violence against Children by Terrorist and Violent Extremist Groups

Abuja,15 April 2021- The Government of Nigeria and its Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA), together with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNOD), launched the STRIVE Juvenile project in Nigeria aimed to prevent and respond to violence against children by terrorist and violent extremist groups.

Through this new STRIVE action funded by the EU, UNODC and the Government of Nigeria will take action to develop coherent strategies that better serve and protect children by enhancing safe and resilient communities, in which human rights and the rule of law guide the approach to combating violent extremism.

Opening the meeting, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno represented by Rear Admiral YEM Musa, Head of Counter-Terrorism Centre, ONSA stated that "the launch of the STRIVE Juvenile project provides an opportunity to demonstrate the firm commitment of the Nigerian Government to counter-terrorism and highlights our efforts when it comes to preventing and countering violent extremism affecting children".[Read More]

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UNODC, National AIDS and STDs Control Programme and the Nigerian Correctional Service Collaborate on National Care and Referral Model for HIV and Other Health Conditions In Custodial Centres

Abuja,12 March 2021­-With the 2021 World Health Day being marked globally under the theme "Together for a fairer, healthier world", the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Nigeria supported a three-day stakeholders' workshop, from 7 to 9 April 2021,  to review and finalise the  "National Care and Referral Model for HIV and other Health Conditions in Custodial Centres in Nigeria". The purpose of the document is to tackle the long-term health inequalities among vulnerable people living in custodial centres the country. 

People in custodial centres in Nigeria face several unmet needs for their health demands including medical care for HIV, tuberculosis, skin diseases, pregnancy care and so on. Referral services for health care and continuity of services is also a challenge. According to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (also known as the Nelson Mandela rules), prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community and should have access to necessary health-care services free of charge without discrimination on the grounds of their legal status.[Read More]

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