Worried by the negative image that the Nigerian society has been portrayed in recent times, associated with drug abuse, The Drug Salvation Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has launched a war against the scourge. To make the war more effective, the NGO has mapped out strategies to take it to schools and the inner city youth.

The organisation had recently kicked off the war in a big way via the launch, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), of the Substance Abuse Awareness Symbol in Nigeria, and the Nigeria Celebrities Drug Free Club.

Wilson Ighodalo, President of The Drug Salvation Foundation, told News Express that this move became necessary following the negative perception that nations of the world have about Nigeria. Speaking on the launch which attracted a huge turnout of people, Ighodalo said he was overwhelmed by the outcome.

“The way Nigeria people responded, it has given me a new insight, to push for new ideas, on how to make our society a better place, Nigeria image must be redeemed, nobody can do it for us except ourselves,” he said.

“We are also using this anti-drug campaign to inform the youths that the future start now, as any negative behaviour they start now, will make their life miserable later in life. We are saying ‘No’ To Drug Use.

“I am going to embark on Mass Media Campaign for the symbol to be known to every Nigerian as sign for anti-drug in the nation.”

According to Ighodalo, who is also the Convener of Nigeria Celebrities Drug Free Club, all the celebs he pulled are all men and women that had leadership skill with wisdom and vision.

Speaking further, Ighodalo said him and his team has started working to ensure no stone is left unturned.

“Plans are in top gear, to take the anti-drug campaign to schools, inner city youths, even to create drug abuse awareness in workplace, we are going to produce a anti-drug abuse and trafficking movie, that will be premiered in major cities of the world like Paris, Los Angeles (USA), London, China, Singapore etc, we want to sell Nigeria image to the world positively,” he said adding:

“We have already hit the road, as part of the programs we have lined up, we had advocacy visit with the number one policeman in Lagos, Commissioner of Police Lagos State (Umar Manko, mni) to decorate him with the newly unveiled Substance Abuse Awareness Symbol in Nigeria and informed him of the existence of Celebrities Drug Free Club in Lagos.”

•Photo shows Ighodalo with someof the celebrities that graced the launch of the anti-drug symbol and Celebrities Drug Free Club in Lagos.