By Femi Ojo
In a strategic move to decouple substance abuse from rising youth restiveness, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has launched a fresh grassroots offensive against the sale and consumption of small-packed alcohol.
Speaking at the Police Central Mosque in Eleyele during an annual Ramadan lecture on Wednesday, the agency linked the availability of “pocket-sized” spirits to the emboldening of criminals and the degradation of public health.
Representing the Oyo State Director, Mr. Isiaka Kehinde, Head of Media and Communications, delivered a sobering assessment of why the ban—which officially took effect on January 1, 2026—is a security necessity.
“Criminality rates will drop the moment we stop culprits from using cheap alcohol to build ‘dikes of courage’ that hold back their natural flood of fear,” Kehinde stated.
The NOA maintains that the accessibility of alcohol in sachets and small PET bottles has historically served as a low-cost fuel for social instability.
By removing these formats from the streets, the government aims to force a shift toward more responsible consumption patterns and, by extension, quieter streets.
Earlier, the guest lecturer, Professor Muritala K. Kareem of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan, in his lecture titled “Islamic Panacea to Youth Restiveness in the 21st Century,” called on parents and guardians to complement academic knowledge with the teaching of four essential virtues.
According to him, the first is to instil in children the belief in and fear of God. Secondly, they should be taught to exhibit good deeds in all their endeavours.
Thirdly, they must be encouraged to speak the truth at all times. The fourth virtue is patience, which they should demonstrate in all their dealings.
He concluded by admonishing all stakeholders to deliberately develop and protect the youth by instilling in them the fear of God.
