The Church's Role in Addressing Youth Drug Abuse in Lafia Lga, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Drug abuse among youths remains a growing public health and social concern in Nigeria, with profound consequences for emotional wellbeing, social integration, and community stability. Faith-based institutions, particularly the Church, occupy a strategic position in addressing this challenge through moral instruction, counselling, and community engagement. This study investigates the role of the Church in curbing drug abuse among youths in Lafia Local Government Area (LGA), Nasarawa State. Adopting a survey research design, data were collected from 726 respondents using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis using t-tests were employed to analyse the data. The findings indicate that drug abuse significantly affects youths’ socio-emotional behaviour, while church-based interventions, such as preaching, counselling, youth programmes, and collaboration with families, play a meaningful preventive and corrective role. However, the effectiveness of these interventions is moderated by socioeconomic factors and peer influence. The study concludes that a multi-institutional approach, with the Church as a key stakeholder, is essential for sustainable drug abuse prevention. The paper contributes to the growing literature on religion and social control in sub-Saharan Africa and offers policy-relevant insights for faith-based and community interventions.