The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has called for mandatory drug testing for all prospective National Youth Service Corps members as part of efforts to stem the rising tide of substance abuse among Nigerian youths.
Chairman of the agency, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), made the call on Sunday in Abuja during a keynote address delivered on his behalf by the Director of Drug Demand Reduction, Dr Ngozi Madubuike, at the ongoing three-day Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care (DPTC) training.
The training was organised in collaboration with the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.
Marwa stated that introducing drug tests at NYSC camps would serve both as a deterrent and a means for early detection and intervention for corps members who may be battling addiction.
“If youths know camps include drug tests, they’ll avoid it. The goal is early help for those who need it,” he said.
The NDLEA boss also revealed that the agency had been promoting drug testing in tertiary institutions, communities, and among families as part of a broader preventive strategy.
He noted that some universities and state governments had already adopted the initiative, and acceptance was gradually spreading across the country.
He added that NDLEA was working to expand drug testing requirements to the public service and other sectors despite opposition.
“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,” Marwa said.
To facilitate the testing initiative, he disclosed that the agency supplies affordable drug testing kits to schools and deploys trained personnel to conduct the screenings.
He emphasised the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to effectively combat substance abuse, urging parents, teachers, religious leaders, and communities to play active roles in youth mentorship and education.
“Millions of Nigerians are caught in the web of substance abuse, many of them young, gifted, and full of potential,” he said, warning that the growing prevalence of drug abuse threatens national health, security, and socio-economic stability.
According to him, NDLEA has established drug counseling and rehabilitation centres in 30 states, calling on communities to support individuals on the path to recovery and help break the stigma associated with addiction.
Also speaking at the event, a childhood education expert and former Secretary of the National Cancer Society, Mrs Juliet Michael, described the initiative as “timely and necessary,” especially at a time when moral values are on a decline.
“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,” she said.
Michael urged parents to be exemplary, monitor their children’s friends, and create nurturing environments that uphold good values and discipline.
The programme coordinator, Dr Edikanabasi Edema Udoh, noted that the training would empower church leaders and community influencers to detect early signs of drug use and guide affected individuals towards treatment.
She said the training was certified to underscore the seriousness of the issue and encouraged Nigerians to support the NDLEA’s campaign, stressing that the agency could not win the battle against drug abuse alone.
“Fighting drug abuse requires the active support and involvement of all Nigerians,” Udoh added.
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