Designing a Community-Based Counselling Programme for Drug Rehabilitation in North East Nigeria

Drug addiction rehabilitation in North East Nigeria is primarily addressed through medical and custodial interventions that neglect the psychological and social dimensions of recovery, and professionally designed community-based counselling programmes are urgently needed. This study designed a community-based counselling programme for drug rehabilitation targeting youths aged 16 to 30 in Yola North, Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. A programme development methodology was adopted, drawing on needs assessment surveys of 60 programme beneficiaries at two NDLEA rehabilitation facilities, focus group consultations with 18 community leaders and Islamic scholars, and review of evidence-based community addiction counselling models. Needs assessment results showed that 78.3 percent of beneficiaries had relapsed at least once, primarily due to inadequate post-discharge psychosocial support. Cultural and religious factors including community shame and family secrecy around drug use were identified as barriers to sustained recovery. The programme designed comprises nine components: individual motivational enhancement counselling, group cognitive behavioural skills, family systems counselling, Islamic-informed spiritual recovery sessions, vocational reintegration planning, peer recovery mentor training, community stigma reduction outreach, relapse prevention planning, and 12-month aftercare follow-up. Facilitator training manual and session guides are provided in English and Fulfulde. Expert review by eight addiction counsellors and three community leaders confirmed the programme's contextual appropriateness. The study recommends joint implementation by the Adamawa State NDLEA and community-based organisations.

Keywords: drug rehabilitation, community counselling, North East Nigeria, addiction recovery, Adamawa State