IN a decisive move to tackle the growing issue of substance abuse among minors, the Borno State Government has rescued 73 children involved in drug use across various parts of Maiduguri.
The intervention, led by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, came after a viral video on social media showed a young boy, barely in his teens, openly confessing to drug abuse.
According to the ministry, the children—aged between 12 and 15—were picked up from areas including Bulabulin Kasuwa and Gwange Kasan Gada. Many were not only using drugs but also becoming entangled in street crime and other risky behaviors.
Commissioner for Women Affairs, Zuwaira Gambo, disclosed that the rescued children have been moved to the Bulumkuttu Rehabilitation Centre. There, they will undergo structured rehabilitation, counseling, and reintegration programs to support their recovery and future reintegration into society.
“You are still very young and deserve a better future. We are not here to punish you but to help you,” Gambo told the children during the intervention.
She emphasized that the government, under Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, is committed to protecting vulnerable children and giving them a second chance at life.
Gambo also assured that more efforts will be made to trace and rescue at-risk children throughout the state, in collaboration with security forces, traditional leaders, community members, and NGOs. The ministry’s goal, she said, is to eliminate the root causes of drug abuse and protect children from exploitation.
This operation underscores the Zulum administration’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the youth and build a safer, healthier future for all children in Borno.
