STATEMENT ON THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND HOMELESSNESS

Oct 5, 2025 | NAS, Press Releases

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SEADOGS (PYRATES CONFRATERNITY)

STATEMENT ON THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND HOMELESSNESS

A National Advocacy and Humanitarian Project

The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) notes with grave concern the deepening twin crises of drug abuse and homelessness ravaging Nigeria’s youth and vulnerable populations. As a body founded on the pillars of humanism, social justice, and responsible citizenship, we view these issues not merely as social challenges but as moral emergencies that demand an urgent national response.
In demonstration of our enduring commitment to the advancement of human dignity, all NAS chapters across Nigeria, in concert with our counterparts in the diaspora, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, embarked on a simultaneous nationwide advocacy and service exercise under the theme: “National Campaign Against Drug Abuse and Homelessness.”
This coordinated effort across multiple cities in Nigeria signified a unified voice, one that insists Nigeria must act now to rescue its youth from the destructive grip of drugs and the indignity of homelessness
This initiative reflects our continuous pursuit of a society anchored on equity, justice, and compassion. We cannot look away while millions of young Nigerians are trapped in cycles of addiction, poverty, and social exclusion. As an organisation founded on humanistic ideals, we stand firm in advocacy for prevention, rehabilitation, and reintegration pathways that restore dignity to every citizen.
Majority (40 – 60%) of those that have access to rehabilitation centers always return back to their addiction (relapses) so it’s better for parents to watch their children and prevent the scourge in the first instance than undergo rehabilitation which centers are very few in Nigeria.
The intersection between substance abuse and homelessness poses a grave threat to national security, public health, and social cohesion. This dangerous synergy fuels mental health breakdown, domestic violence, and street crime. Addressing it requires a coordinated, humane, and policy-driven approach that integrates health, education, and social welfare systems.
We, therefore, call on Federal, State, and Local governments, as well as the private sector and civil society organisations, to intensify investments in youth rehabilitation, mental health infrastructure, and community sensitisation. The national response must move beyond punitive measures to preventive and restorative strategies rooted in empathy and education.
Our vision is to create a pathway to dignity, to bring every child back to school, every youth back to hope, and every person with an addiction back to humanity. This is the essence of our campaign and the moral duty we owe our nation.
Across the federation, NAS members held advocacy walks, community outreaches, and public education drives in partnership with local authorities, government agencies like NDLEA, NGOs, and rehabilitation centres, to raise awareness about the global dimension of the drug crisis and the shared responsibility for human upliftment.
Reaffirming our founding ideals, we will continue to leverage our national and international reach to champion social reform, promote responsible citizenship, and uphold the sanctity of human life. For over seven decades, our organisation has stood for justice, equality, and human dignity. We shall not relent in confronting any threat to the welfare and dignity of Nigerians, whether it manifests as addiction, homelessness, or institutional neglect.
Through this collective action, the National Association of Seadogs reaffirms its timeless creed: to fight injustice, promote enlightenment, and advance the cause of humanity wherever the need arises.