Factors Affecting Entry Into Drug Abuse Among Youths in Lafia Metropolis: Implications on Security

Abuse of drugs by youths and its detrimental effects on security in Lafia Metropolis have recently attracted public attention. Given this background, it is important to understand the factors that influenced youths to take to drugs and the extent to which involvement in drugs has affected security in the Metropolis and thus explore effective ways toward curbing it. A survey method was adopted with samples drawn from 10 political wards in the Metropolis. Questionnaires were administered on 520 respondents with a satisfactory response rate of 76.92%. Bivariate analysis, logistic regression, and multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the responses. The findings revealed that drug abuse was significantly practiced in the Metropolis due to lack of parental control, easy access to drugs, and emerging street culture of gangsterism. The implications of these on urban security were noted on incessant scuffle and street fighting, increased confrontation with the police, accidents and injuries, and robbery and theft. The study, therefore, recommended the creation of awareness campaigns on the implications of drug use by youths, the strengthening of government institutions that are in charge of drug control to step up their strategies to curb illicit drug production and supply in the Metropolis, and ban the roaming of Almajiri boys and girls at night in the Metropolis.