The fight against drug abuse received a powerful push as the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, led an anti-drug sensitization campaign at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo Campus, to mark the 2025 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Organized by the Office of the First Lady, the campaign brought together key stakeholders, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), LASU’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) team, the Lagos State Ministries of Health and Youth & Social Development, and various advocacy groups.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu, accompanied by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, and LASU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, led an awareness walk from the university gate to the Buba Marwa Auditorium.
The symbolic walk represented a united front in the war against drug abuse.
In her address, the First Lady urged students to take ownership of the campaign, saying: “To the students of LASU, I invite you to join the LASU WADA Group. Help us spread this message, protect your peers, and become the voice that inspires a shift in mindset.”
She emphasized the need for media support in sustaining the message: “Under the leadership of Mr. Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, we remain committed to strengthening this fight through the Inter-Ministerial Drug Abuse Control Committee and other relevant MDAs.”
Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, wife of the Deputy Governor, called drug abuse a “global menace” and advocated for early intervention, mental health support, and an end to stigma: “Addiction is often a symptom of deeper mental health issues that go undiagnosed for too long. We must stop stigmatizing and start supporting.”
Lagos State House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Youth and Social Development, Hon. Abiodun Orekoya, pledged legislative support, affirming that: “The State Assembly is committed to enacting laws that will drastically reduce drug abuse in Lagos.”
Vice Chancellor Prof. Olatunji-Bello expressed LASU’s pride in hosting the campaign: “At LASU, we are deeply committed to not only academic excellence but also the holistic well-being of our students… We pledge our continued support in advocacy and awareness.”
NDLEA Commander in Lagos, Abubakar Lima Wali, reinforced the agency’s dedication: “This war is everyone’s fight… With unity and informed choices, we can win. Let’s promote grassroots advocacy, rehabilitation, and preventive education.”
Chairperson of the WADA Committee, Mrs. Olubukonla Nwonah, appreciated the First Lady’s leadership and the LASU community’s hospitality, applauding the collaborative effort that made the event successful.
To cement the campaign’s impact, a prominent anti-drug signpost and a symbolic mural at LASU’s Students Arcade were unveiled. Dr. Sanwo-Olu also received a plaque of recognition from the Vice Chancellor for her role in championing the campaign and selecting LASU as its host.
Several academics and students were decorated as WADA Ambassadors and charged with carrying the anti-drug message beyond the campus into the wider society.
