One in Seven Nigerians Between Ages 15 and 64 Use Drugs

Marwa – Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), has expressed worry over substance abuse, saying one in seven Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64 now use drugs.

Marwa, however, explained that the push for drug integrity test for youth corps members, prospective couples and others was not punitive but to discourage substance abuse.

According to him, it would also provide early treatment for those who test positive before their condition degenerates to drug dependence and other health challenges.

Marwa made the clarification during a meeting with the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, who led top officials of NYSC on a courtesy visit to the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja yesterday.

While congratulating the NYSC boss on his recent appointment, Marwa described the NYSC scheme as a national treasure and a veritable instrument of national unity.

“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, use drugs.

“You have mentioned our efforts to cut off access and availability of these drugs but beyond that we have to work with all stakeholders including NYSC to ensure 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 the drug supply reduction, we also do drug demand reduction through preventive measures, as well as counseling 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. One other important area of collaboration is the question of drug integrity tests for youth corps members. It’s a major drug demand reduction effort.

“The same way we said, if you are getting married, both the bride and the groom, should bring a drug free certificate. This is because it is always better to detect drug use early before it gets to addiction which eventually could get to psychiatric problems and it becomes a danger to the user and the society.”

He said another area of collaboration was the posting of a sizeable number of corps members who studied Guidance and Counselling, Psychology, Nursing and Psychiatry to NDLEA Counselling and Treatment Centres across the country as their place of primary assignment during their one-year national service.

He said this would enable the corps members acquire knowledge and experience in rehabilitation and psychosocial services.

In his response, the NYSC DG described the drug integrity test as a fantastic idea while he promised to study the NDLEA proposal for possible collaboration.

He assured him that the scheme would develop a general guideline to post as many corps members with required qualifications to NDLEA Commands with Counselling and Treatment Centres across the country.

While appreciating Marwa for the giant strides NDLEA has recorded under his leadership, he noted the existing partnership between the Agency and the NYSC, which he said his visit was to seek further means to deepen and strengthen the collaboration.

By Damilola Adeleke | April 24, 2025