Mary Onyia

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is making significant strides in its campaign to make drug tests mandatory for all Nigerians, with various sectors such as educational institutions, employers, and political bodies embracing the initiative.

The agency’s Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said this during his appearance on Channels Television’s “The Morning Breakfast Programme” on Monday. He expressed his delight with the positive response from state governments, employers, and universities, who are already implementing drug tests as part of their recruitment and admission processes.

He also highlighted the agency’s plans to extend this advocacy to traditional and religious institutions, aiming to curb the growing demand for illicit drugs, particularly among youth.

He said, “It’s an advocacy move, which has been going on since 2021. several state governments are already making this a policy in their states to ensure that whoever goes for an elective position or is appointed to the state government undergoes drug tests. That is going on.

“Like I said, it’s an advocacy move. It’s not a law; all we can do is to encourage the various stakeholders to buy into this.”

He disclosed that in the last four years the agency has prosecuted some politicians for illicit involvement in hard drugs.

“In the last four years, from our record, about 65 barons, including former public office holders, had been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted without mentioning anybody’s name to stigmatise them.”

Babafemi said some of those arrested and prosecuted by the Buba Marwa-led agency had “held public offices at various levels of government. Even as I speak, we still have several high-profile persons who are undergoing prosecution at the moment”.

“Some of these individuals held positions as local government chairpersons, and we still have high-profile figures undergoing prosecution,” he added.

The NDLEA spokesman further said beyond being a policy for political positions, employers and tertiary institutions have also embraced drug tests as part of their screening process to admit new talents.

Babafemi said, “This is going on not only at the level of politics or those seeking employment but also at the level of our young ones – those going into tertiary institutions – to ensure that they also undergo this test.

“We are glad that indeed this is going on around the country, in institutions – we have seen these institutions, both private and public, make that a policy. All of this is to drive down the demand for illicit substances by young people.”

He said the agency has also pushed for prospective couples to undergo drug tests, noting that traditional and religious institutions are keying into it already.

He highlighting the continued progress the NDLEA is making in its fight against narcotics, with the cooperation of state governments and others.