Kogi Assembly Passes Bill to Establish Bureau of Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation

The Kogi State House of Assembly has passed a Bill seeking to establish a dedicated Bureau of Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation to strengthen the state’s response to drug and substance abuse.

The passage of the Bill on Thursday, September 10, 2026, followed years of advocacy, legislative engagement, stakeholder consultations and technical discussions on the need for a specialised institution to coordinate substance-abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation efforts across the state.

The initiative began with discussions between the Vanguard Against Drug Abuse (VGADA) and the Majority Leader of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Suleiman Abdulrazaq, on the establishment of a dedicated agency to address the growing challenges associated with substance abuse.

The Bill subsequently went through the legislative process, including a public hearing held about two months ago, where stakeholders were invited to make contributions.

VGADA participated in the public hearing and presented recommendations aimed at strengthening the proposed framework.

Its Executive Director, Dr. Hope Omeiza, drew on the organisation’s experience in substance-use prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and community reintegration to highlight critical technical areas requiring attention in the Bill.

With the passage by the Assembly, the proposed Bureau is expected to provide a more coordinated institutional framework for tackling substance abuse and supporting rehabilitation and reintegration programmes in Kogi State.
The Bill will now be forwarded to the Executive Governor of Kogi State for assent.

VGADA described the legislative development as a major milestone in the state’s efforts to combat substance abuse and promote recovery among affected individuals and communities.