Home FEATURES Group Mobilizes People In Kogi Against Drug, Sexual And Social Media Abuse

Group Mobilizes People In Kogi Against Drug, Sexual And Social Media Abuse

Project-PUR team: From left: Torah Banks Ozichu, Dr Enesi, Ruka Fache, Tofiq and Abdulrahman Salawu
Project-PUR team with students: From Left-Right: Torah Banks Ozichu, Dr Enesi, Ruka Fache, Tofiq Fache and Abdulrahman Salawu

Concerned Youths have risen to drum support for what they called ‘self-help grassroots sensitization project’ against the increasing cases of drug, sexual and social media abuse in Kogi state.

This is coming on the heel of the drug, sexual and social media abuses that have tarnished the image of Nigeria in the international arena.

The initiator of the project, Ruka Fache, said that the aim of the project is to sensitize and equip the young ones in the state with basic information and skills that would empower them in leading safe behaviour.

According to her, it would also help the youths to take responsibility for their own health, decisions, actions and inactions while igniting in them, passion for competing with their counterparts outside the state. She said that the campaign is code-named: Project Pause-Unlearn-Relearn (Project PUR).

The initiator, who is a graduate of Law, said that she was moved to initiate the project by her personal experience with youths in the state, many of who lack necessary information that would have exposed them to make informed decision against all odds.

Ruka narrated how her encounter with secondary school students exposed her to many challenges facing the young adults in the state.

“I had the opportunity to sit and converse with the young ones, which exposed me to how backward our young adults have been in terms of drive, passion, exposure and needed contemporary.

“I also noticed that most of these young ones who were developing biologically do not have full understanding of their bodies and the changes they were undergoing.

“A lot of child sexual abuse stories arise every day because they are being kept secret whereby the victims would not want to make it public.”

Members of Project-PUR flanked with Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Dr Ado Ibrahim during a courtesy visit to his palace
Members of Project-PUR flanked in a group picture with Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Dr Ado Ibrahim during a courtesy visit to his palace

This was even as the coordinator of the project, Abdulrahman salawu, said the project-PUR would go round the entire state.

He said that due to limited resources, the pilot phase of the project which started since July 3rd and ended today, July 7th was designed to cover five secondary schools from Kogi Central.

He assured that the scope would be extended to other schools in subsequent visits.

Abdulrahman was emphatic that the project-PUR had come to stay, stressing:: “so far, over 1,500 youths have been impacted within the five days of the sensitisation through direct contacts. More are expected to be impacted through indirect contacts.”

The coordinator expressed gratitude to various speakers who made themselves available throughout the first phase of the project to share their knowledge with youths, teachers and parents on various topics.

He advised parents and guardians in the communities visited to monitor their children closely, and take good care of them.

He urged them to promptly report any case of sexual abuse to police as the group had sought and obtained the support of security agents in the areas visited. [myad]