…says initiative aims at prevention, not punishment
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), has renewed his call for mandatory drug tests for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), describing the move as a proactive, preventive measure rather than a punitive one.
Marwa made the statement on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by the Director General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, alongside senior officials of the scheme, to the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja.
According to a press release issued by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Marwa expressed concern over the increasing rate of drug abuse among Nigerian youths, warning that the country’s future is at stake if urgent steps are not taken.
“This is not a punitive action,” Marwa clarified. “The aim is prevention—to identify potential users early and intervene before experimentation evolves into full-blown addiction.”
Citing data from recent national drug use surveys, the NDLEA boss revealed that at least one in every seven Nigerians aged 15 to 64 is involved in drug use. He described the trend as a national crisis cutting across all regions and social classes.
“The drug scourge continues to ravage families and communities. No region, state, or demographic is immune,” he noted.
Marwa highlighted the agency’s two-pronged approach to tackling the menace: curbing the supply of illicit substances and reducing demand through education, advocacy, rehabilitation, and counselling.
He also lauded the NYSC for its collaboration with the NDLEA, particularly through the establishment of War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) clubs in NYSC orientation camps nationwide.
To deepen this collaboration, Marwa proposed the implementation of drug integrity tests as part of the NYSC orientation process. He also reiterated the agency’s recommendation that intending couples obtain drug-free certificates before marriage.
“Early detection through drug tests will help prevent long-term consequences such as psychiatric disorders, which impact not just the users but society as a whole,” he said.
In a bid to bolster the agency’s rehabilitation efforts, Marwa suggested that corps members with academic backgrounds in psychology, psychiatry, nursing, and counselling be posted to NDLEA treatment and counselling centres as part of their primary assignments.
“This would not only enrich their professional experience but also strengthen our ongoing rehabilitation initiatives,” he added.
Responding, the NYSC Director General, Brig. Gen. Nafiu, described the proposals as “fantastic,” pledging to give them serious consideration.
He further assured that the NYSC would work on developing a detailed framework for the deployment of qualified corps members to NDLEA formations with active counselling and rehabilitation operations.
Nafiu commended Marwa for his visionary leadership and reaffirmed the NYSC’s commitment to supporting national efforts aimed at addressing drug abuse among Nigerian youth.
, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.) ...){kind=link}