In a renewed effort to combat drug abuse among Nigerian youths, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has proposed compulsory drug testing for all prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The agency’s Chairman, retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, made this known during a ‘Training the Trainer’ workshop held in Abuja, in collaboration with the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.
Speaking through the Director of Drug Demand Reduction at the NDLEA, Mrs. Ngozi Madubuike, Marwa said the move is aimed at identifying drug use early and offering timely support, not punishment.
“No NYSC orientation camp should admit anyone who uses drugs,” he said. “This is not about punishment—it’s about protection. If young people know a drug test awaits them, they’ll think twice. And those already battling addiction can be helped before it’s too late.”
The initiative is part of the NDLEA’s broader War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, focused on prevention, early detection, and rehabilitation.
To support this drive, the agency has started supplying affordable drug testing kits to tertiary institutions while also training officers to carry out screenings. Some state governments and universities have already begun implementing similar policies.
Marwa further revealed that the NDLEA plans to extend mandatory drug testing beyond NYSC camps to other sectors, including public service.
“This is a battle we must win—before drugs destroy our future leaders,” he added.
