Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has clarified that the agency’s proposal for drug integrity tests targeting youth corps members, intending couples, and others is not a punitive measure.
Instead, it aims to discourage drug abuse and facilitate early intervention for individuals who test positive before addiction or serious health issues develop.
Marwa stated this during a courtesy visit by the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, who led a delegation of senior NYSC officials to the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.
Extending his congratulations to Nafiu on his recent appointment, Marwa described the NYSC scheme as a vital symbol of national unity and a national asset.
He stressed the growing concern of drug abuse in the country.
“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.”
Marwa also proposed that corps members with backgrounds in Guidance and Counselling, Psychology, Nursing, and Psychiatry be deployed to NDLEA’s Counselling and Treatment Centres nationwide for their primary assignment.
This, he said, would help them gain hands-on experience in rehabilitation and psychosocial support.
Responding, the NYSC Director General welcomed the drug integrity test initiative, describing it as a brilliant concept. He pledged to review the NDLEA’s proposal for potential collaboration.
He also assured that the NYSC would work on a framework to ensure that corps members with the appropriate qualifications are posted to NDLEA Centres offering counselling and rehabilitation services across the country.
Appreciating Marwa for the significant progress made by the agency under his leadership, Nafiu reaffirmed NYSC’s commitment to strengthening its existing partnership with the NDLEA and exploring new avenues for collaboration.
