NDLEA commander proposes drug test for admission seekers

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has proposed mandatory drug tests as part of the admission process for newly admitted university students.

The NDLEA commandant in Kwara State, Fatima Abiola-Popoola, disclosed this during a radio programme in Ilorin over the weekend.

She explained that this would help reduce the menace of drug abuse among youths in the country.

“It would serve as a preventive measure while offering early intervention and counselling for those already using drugs to prevent them from becoming problematic users,” she said.

The NDLEA boss further expressed concern over the rising number of drug users in the country, particularly among females.

She warned that this trend poses serious risks to families and society at large.

“A 2018 survey shows that 14.3 million people were using drugs in Nigeria. One out of 7 persons in Nigeria is a drug user and one out of 4 drug users is a woman.

“This shows that the society is in trouble because a woman is the administrator of the home,” she added.