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Cleric Raises Alarm Over Hard Drug Sales Near Nasarawa Modern Market, Urges Urgent Government Action

A renowned Islamic cleric, Ustaz Umar Usman Baba, the Chief Imam of JIBWIS, UBA Mosque in Nasarawa town, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, has raised serious concerns over alleged sale and use of hard drugs by traders and hawkers operating around the Nasarawa Modern Market, whose construction work is nearing completion.

Delivering his Friday sermon at the mosque, Ustaz Umar revealed that credible information reaching him indicates that hard drugs are being secretly traded in some retail shops and kiosks located just by the market gate, posing a grave threat to public safety and the future of young people in the area.

According to him, the situation, if left unchecked, could lead to a surge in crime, moral decay, and youth addiction, undermining community values and the very purpose of the modern market project, which is to stimulate local economic growth and development.

“I have been reliably informed that some shops and hawkers by the market gate engage in selling hard drugs. This is a serious concern. We must not allow our children’s future to be destroyed by drug abuse,” the Imam warned.

He therefore called on law enforcement agencies, particularly the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), as well as the state government to immediately investigate the matter and take decisive action to curb the illicit trade.

Ustaz Umar emphasized that drug abuse has continued to fuel violent crimes, theft, and social vices among youths, stressing that community leaders, parents, and traders must all play their part in supporting efforts to rid the society of the menace.

Observers in the area have equally called on the government to strengthen surveillance and monitoring mechanisms around major markets in the state, warning that the growing drug trade near public spaces could undermine peace and security efforts.