The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Federal Ministry of Education have reached key agreements aimed at combating substance abuse among Nigerian youths. The initiatives include a compulsory drug integrity test for students in tertiary institutions and the integration of drug education into the national secondary school curriculum.
These resolutions emerged during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, when NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), led a delegation of his management team to engage with the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa.
Marwa commended the Minister’s proactive leadership, highlighting the devastating impact of substance abuse on the country’s youth population. He emphasized that drug abuse fuels criminal activities such as terrorism and banditry, making the NDLEA’s anti-drug efforts a vital part of Nigeria’s national security strategy.
“The purpose of this visit is to seek collaboration with this esteemed ministry in our collective efforts towards drug control in Nigeria. Our focus is primarily on schools and educational institutions, where millions of our children are under your supervision,” Marwa stated.
“Without drugs, many of these criminal activities—terrorism, banditry—would not thrive. By addressing drug abuse, we are also addressing insecurity.”
Marwa disclosed that, under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, the NDLEA has made notable strides:
40,887 drug-related arrests,
8,682 convictions,
5,507 metric tons of drugs seized, and
Over one billion pills of opioids (mostly Tramadol) confiscated, worth more than ₦1 trillion.
He also noted that President Tinubu had approved the construction of seven new rehabilitation centres, in addition to 30 existing centres nationwide, as well as one model rehab centre in each geo-political zone.
Marwa proposed three key areas of collaboration between the NDLEA and the Ministry:
- Review of the secondary school drug education curriculum, given the evolving nature of drug use and the emergence of new psychoactive substances.
- Introduction of stand-alone drug abuse prevention programmes in schools—lectures, competitions, parental engagement, and more.
- Implementation of a drug testing policy in tertiary institutions, involving fresh students, those returning from vacation, and random testing. He emphasized that this would act as a deterrent rather than simply a punitive measure.
In response, the Minister of Education, Dr. Alausa, praised Marwa’s lifelong commitment to national service.
“Since I’ve known him over 30 years ago, Gen. Marwa has remained committed to serving Nigeria. His passion is evident, and I fully align with his recommendations,” he said.
The Minister emphasized the deep-rooted consequences of youth drug abuse, including poor academic performance, diminished critical thinking, unemployability, and the potential for a dysfunctional future.
To reinforce collaboration, the Minister proposed:
Formation of an inter-ministerial technical working group with the NDLEA.
Creation of a Substance Use Prevention Unit within the Ministry (announced immediately by Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abel Oluwamuyiwa Enitan).
Curriculum review for secondary schools, with plans to cascade drug education to primary schools as well.
Adoption of a nationwide drug test policy for tertiary institutions.
He also pledged to engage relevant education agencies—UBEC and TETFUND—to partner with the NDLEA Academy in Jos to deepen drug education across all education levels in Nigeria.
