The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Federal Ministry of Education have agreed to introduce mandatory drug integrity tests for students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria. Additionally, they plan to revise the current secondary school curriculum to incorporate comprehensive drug education.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi. According to the statement, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the new measures, stating that the drug tests—both compulsory and random—will help tackle the rising rate of drug abuse among students in higher institutions.
Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman of the NDLEA, proposed a three-pronged strategy to combat drug abuse in the education sector: updating drug education in school curricula, implementing targeted prevention programs in secondary schools, and introducing drug testing policies for tertiary students—covering new intakes, returning students, and periodic random tests.
Marwa commended the education minister for taking a proactive stance on the issue, stressing that drug abuse among youths is a serious concern. He described the challenge as a national emergency with direct ties to insecurity, including terrorism and banditry.
“We are fighting for the souls of our children,” Marwa stated. “Many crimes would not happen without the influence of drugs. Our goal is to work closely with the education ministry to ensure schools become strongholds against drug abuse.”
He revealed that the NDLEA had arrested over 40,000 drug offenders and seized more than 5,500 metric tonnes of narcotics within the last two years, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
In response, Minister Alausa praised Marwa’s dedication, recalling their long-standing acquaintance and commending his passion for national service.
“I’ve known him for over 30 years, and his commitment hasn’t changed,” Alausa said. “His clarity and depth on this issue were compelling. As he spoke, I was already noting down his points—it was as though I had seen his prepared remarks.”
Alausa emphasized that drug abuse is a major crisis affecting Nigerian youth and must be addressed decisively through education, policy, and strong institutional collaboration.
