Abuja: The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Federal Ministry of Education have forged a partnership to implement mandatory drug integrity tests for students in tertiary institutions and to revise the secondary school curriculum to include drug education. This agreement was reached during a meeting between NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, and the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Marwa commended the Minister for his proactive stance and highlighted the significant impact of substance abuse on the youth of Nigeria. He stressed that combating illicit drugs was crucial for safeguarding the future of Nigerian children and emphasized that the agency's focus would be on educational institutions, as millions of children fall under the ministry's oversight. Marwa linked drug abuse to exacerbating criminal activities in the country, such as terrorism and banditry, asserting that without drugs, perpetrators would not engage in such acts.
Marwa reported that, with the backing of President Bola Tinubu, the agency has made substantial progress over the past two years, arresting 40,887 individuals, securing 8,682 convictions, and seizing 5,507 metric tons of illicit drugs. He noted that from January last year, over one billion pills of tramadol, valued at more than N1 trillion, were confiscated. The NDLEA is also expanding its infrastructure with the President's support, building seven new rehabilitation centers in addition to the existing 30, and approving the construction of a model rehab center in each geo-political zone.
He proposed three areas of collaboration with the Ministry to curb substance abuse among youths. The first is revising the secondary school drug education curriculum to address the evolving nature of drugs and new psychoactive substances. Secondly, he suggested introducing independent drug abuse prevention programs in schools involving lectures and parental participation. Lastly, Marwa advocated for a drug testing policy in tertiary institutions to maintain drug-free campuses.
In response, Minister Alausa praised Marwa's dedication and acknowledged the severity of the drug issue, emphasizing its detrimental effects on education and employability. He proposed forming an inter-ministerial technical working group to collaborate with NDLEA. The Minister also indicated plans to engage UBEC and TETFund in partnering with the NDLEA Academy in Jos to enhance drug education across various educational levels in the country.