NDLEA Boss Marwa Reaffirms Mandatory Drug Tests For NYSC Corps Members

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reaffirmed his position on mandatory drug tests for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen Mohamed Marwa (retired) explained that the proposed drug tests for youth corps members, intending couples, and others are not meant as punishment, but as a way to discourage drug abuse and offer early intervention for users.

Speaking on Wednesday, April 23, during a meeting with the NYSC Director General,, Brig Gen Olakunle Nafiu, at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja, Marwa emphasized the importance of early detection and treatment to prevent addiction and its serious health consequences.

He expressed concern over the growing drug abuse problem in Nigeria, noting that one in seven Nigerians aged 15 to 64 uses drugs.

Marwa, who stressed that tackling drug abuse goes beyond cutting off supply, called for stronger collaboration with groups like the NYSC to reduce the demand for drugs, particularly among young people.

He encouraged the NYSC to adopt NDLEA’s drug integrity tests for corps members as part of this effort.

The NDLEA boss said: “The drug scourge has continued to devastate our kids, families, communities, everywhere, there‘s nowhere you go in the country that you don‘t have a drug abuse problem. One in seven Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64 uses drugs. 

“You have mentioned our efforts to cut off access and availability of these drugs. Still, beyond that, we have to work with all stakeholders, including NYSC, to ensure a drastic reduction in the demand for drugs by our youths, and one of our strategies to address this is through our drug integrity test, which we’re advocating that NYSC should embrace for corps members. 

“As I said, while we do drug supply reduction, we also do drug demand reduction through preventive measures, as well as counselling and rehabilitation. Now, these are important areas for further collaboration. You have introduced in the camps the war against drug abuse clubs, which is fantastic.

“Another important area of collaboration is the question of drug integrity tests for youth corps members. It‘s a major drug demand reduction effort.”

Marwa also recommended that couples planning to marry undergo drug tests to catch any issues early and avoid future problems, including mental health complications.

“In the same way, if you are getting married, both the bride and the groom should bring a drug-free certificate,” he said.

“This is because it is always better to detect drug use early before it gets to addiction, which eventually could lead to psychiatric problems. It becomes a danger to the user and society.”

He proposed another area of collaboration by assigning corps members with backgrounds in Guidance and Counselling, Psychology, Nursing, and Psychiatry to NDLEA’s treatment centres as part of their one-year service.

This, he said, would give them practical experience in rehabilitation and mental health care.

In response, NYSC DG Nafiu welcomed the drug test idea and described it as a great initiative.

He said the NYSC would review the proposal and consider working with the NDLEA on it.

KanyiDaily recalls that NDLEA Chairman Mohammed Buba Marwa revealed that the agency is seeking government’s approval to conduct drug tests on tertiary institutions’ new students, security agencies’ fresh recruits and all newly appointed government employees.