The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Federal Ministry of Education have agreed to collaborate on several initiatives to combat substance abuse among Nigerian youths.
The agreements were reached during a meeting between the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), and the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The NDLEA suggested a review of the drug education curriculum in secondary schools to include new psychoactive substances and address the complexity of the drug scourge.
The agency proposed introducing stand-alone drug abuse prevention programmes in schools, including lectures, competitions, and involving parents.
NDLEA also recommended adopting a drug testing policy in tertiary institutions, including drug tests for new students, returning students, and random tests.
He noted that the fight against illicit drugs is a fight for the souls of the Nigerian youth.
According to the NDLEA boss, “The purpose of this visit is to seek collaboration with this esteemed ministry in our collective efforts towards drug control in Nigeria. Our focus basically will be on schools and educational institutions.
”There are millions of our children that are under the supervision of this ministry, and it’s very critical. The drug scourge, as we all know, is very high in Nigeria”, he added.
Marwa also said, “So, we’re actually fighting for the souls of our children. Now, we also know that the drug use is exacerbating criminal activities. That is, the Boko Haram, the terrorism, banditry, and so on.
“We know that without drugs, they wouldn’t be able to do what they are doing, because they wouldn’t do all these criminal activities in their right senses.
”So, in our own way, we are contributing to the fight against insecurity in the country. Now, through law enforcement action, we have continued to deal mortal blows to the drug cartels.
”We know that through the seizures, arrests, convictions, and assets forfeiture, we’re doing our best.
“Supported by President Bola Tinubu, within the last two years, we have made arrest of 40,887 criminal elements, gotten 8,682 convicted and seized 5,507 metric tons of illicit drugs.
”In fact, from January last year to the present, opioids, that’s tramadol mostly, that we have seized, are in excess of one billion pills, which is worth more than N1 trillion”, he said.
Marwa also disclosed that the President is also supporting the agency to build seven rehabilitation centres in addition to the existing 30 centres in NDLEA commands nationwide.
He noted that President Tinubu has also approved the construction of one model rehab centre in each of the geo-political zone in the country.
He listed three key areas he will want the Ministry and NDLEA to collaborate to effectively check the menace of substance abuse among Nigerian youths.
“The first suggestion we have is for a review of the drug education curriculum in secondary schools.
”Even though we’re told of the existence of this in the past but because of the complexity of drugs, the dynamism of it, and the new psychoactive substances that have come to play, we feel that it is time to consider a review of this drug education curriculum.
“Another area we were thinking of suggesting is to introduce stand-alone drug abuse prevention programmes in schools, secondary schools. Not the curriculum this time, but programmes that stand on their own, lectures, competitions, and involving the parents, and so on.
”And then the third area we were thinking is to adopt a drug testing policy in tertiary institutions, because we want a policy to keep our campuses clean.
”Several vice chancellors have come on their own to seek both our guidance and participation in conducting drug test for their students.
”So, what we are suggesting now is drug tests for new students, for students returning from vacations, and random tests.
”This will make the children to avoid taking drugs, knowing fully well that if they do and they are found out, there will be consequences. And the consequences do not necessarily mean rustication.”
Responding, the Minister commended Marwa for his steadfastness and commitment to the service of Nigeria.
He acknowledged that the drug scourge was a huge problem that must be tackled headlong, noting that it affects the youths’ ability to receive functional education and become employable.
”When the youths get into drugs, they won’t go to school and even when they go to school, they are not getting functional education.
”And at the end of the day, what happens? Their level of critical thinking is lower. Their ability to make informed decisions in the later part of their life becomes significantly reduced. So, they become unemployable. And what happens?
“You now have that vicious cycle. They’re not functional. They’re not useful to themselves. All they do is resort to criminality.
”Once you use drugs, you’re likely to have a dysfunctional family. So, it’s a huge menace that we need to tackle, and tackle very quickly, ” he said.
The Minister suggested forming a technical working group between the Ministry and NDLEA to explore ways to collaborate.
He proposed creating a Substance Use Prevention Unit in the Ministry to oversee the implementation of drug education programmes.
The Ministry is reviewing the curriculum for secondary schools and will incorporate drug education into it.
The Ministry would design ongoing programmes in schools to educate students about the dangers of substance abuse.
The Minister assured that the Ministry would partner with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to support the NDLEA Academy in Jos in deepening drug education in basic, secondary, and tertiary institutions.
