Capital City University Kano (CCUK) on Thursday hosted a groundbreaking one-day Special Talk-Shop on Substance Abuse Prevention, drawing a diverse audience of students, faculty, and local experts in a powerful show of commitment to youth wellness.
Spearheaded by the University’s Pro-Chancellor, General (Prof.) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd.), a former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Interior, the event marked a major intervention in the fight against rising drug abuse among young people.
Known for his expertise in criminology and youth development, Dambazau emphasized the need to steer students away from the dangers of substance use.
The talk-shop, described by Vice Chancellor Prof. Yusuf Daraja as “urgent and strategic,” was held in collaboration with the African Council on Narcotics (ACON) and the Kano Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which participated on the directive of its national chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.).
Delivering the keynote address, ACON President Rekpene Bassey urged universities to become “sanctuaries of clarity, not breeding grounds for dependency and despair,” blending policy insight with a call for grassroots advocacy.
Other notable speakers included Dr. Aminu Shehu Ibrahim, Consultant Psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Kano, the university’s Registrar, and the Dean of Student Affairs. all highlighting the psychological, administrative, and cultural dimensions of drug prevention in academic spaces.
Students described the event as “eye-opening” and “life-affirming,” while calls were made, including by the Pro-Chancellor, to institutionalize the talk-shop as an annual academic feature.
Founded as a 21st-century model of excellence, CCUK is fast becoming a leader in holistic education that champions both academic brilliance and moral responsibility.
Thursday’s event, observers noted, reinforced the university’s role as a catalyst for civic values in African higher education.
