The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ) has called for mandatory drug testing for all prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
The Chairman NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), made the call in his keynote at the ongoing three-day Drug Prevention Treatment and Care (DPTC) training organised by the agency in collaboration with the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) on Sunday in Abuja.
The initiative aims to equip church leaders and community influencers with tools to educate youths, prevent drug use, and support families battling addiction and being able to scale down the knowledge and experiences to others.
Marwa, represented by the NDLEA’s Director of Drug Demand Reduction, Dr. Ngozi Madubuike, said drug tests at NYSC camps would help deter substance use.
He also said the agency is tackling drug abuse by promoting drug testing in universities, communities and among families.
He said the tests would also enable timely support and intervention for those who test positive for drugs during orientation.
He noted that the policy had already been adopted by some universities, state governments and is gradually gaining wider acceptance.
The NDLEA boss said the agency is equally pushing for drug test requirements in other sectors, including public service, despite opposition.
“If youths know camps include drug tests, they’ll avoid it. The goal is early help for those who need it,” he said.
He said the agency supplies affordable test kits to schools and assigns trained officers to carry out drug testing procedures.
He said, “While NDLEA focuses on arrests, seizures, and prosecutions, it also addresses demand through education and rehabilitation initiatives. The roots of drug abuse lie in wider social, economic, and environmental factors beyond the agency’s control.”
He noted the importance of parents, teachers, religious leaders, and communities working together for prevention and urged parents to speak openly with children, monitor their peers, online habits, and promote strong moral values.
“NDLEA sees collaboration with NYSC and educational institutions as vital to combatting drug abuse among the youth population,” he said.
He noted that millions of Nigerians are caught in the web of substance abuse, many of them young, gifted and full of potential.
He said, “The increasing prevalence of drug abuse in our society poses a significant threat to our nation’s health, security and socio-economic stability. The NDLEA is committed to fighting this scourge through enforcement, education, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and care.
“However, our mission cannot be accomplished without the collaborative efforts of stakeholders such as you -the religious Institutions and that is why we are here to partner with you. Tackling drug abuse requires a multi-sectoral approach that involves families, schools, religious institutions and the broader community.
“Beyond enforcement, NDLEA is also focused on treatment and rehabilitation. We have established drug counseling and rehabilitation centers in 30 states of the Federation to support individuals battling addiction. We encourage community participation in providing a supportive environment for recovery through education and awareness campaigns to dismantle the stigma surrounding drug addiction and promote a culture of empathy and support,” he said.
A childhood education expert and former Secretary of the National Cancer Society, Mrs Juliet Michael, said that the initiative is timely and necessary.
She said the programme supports families at a time when moral values are rapidly declining in many homes.
“In the past, a look from parents was enough. Today, many parents struggle to connect with their children. There is the problem of peer pressure and poor role modelling for the erosion of discipline and positive values among youths.
“Parents must be examples, monitor their children’s friends, and create environments that nurture good behaviour,” Michael said.
She urged parents to live the values they expect, with discipline, as the home remains the bedrock of national change.
Also, the programme coordinator, Dr. Edikanabasi Edema Udoh, said the training empowers people to detect early drug use and guide affected individuals towards treatment, especially at the homes.
She said the training is certified to show the seriousness and importance of the event.
She urged all Nigerians to support the NDLEA as the anti-narcotic agency cannot do it alone, without the active support and involvement of all Nigerians.
