The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has cautioned Nigerian youths against drug abuse, warning that the temporary “high” associated with substance use often comes with a devastating long-term cost.
Marwa delivered the public lecture at the 29th and 30th Combined Convocation Ceremony of the University of Abuja, titled “High Today, Lost Tomorrow: The Real Cost of Drug Abuse on Campus.”
He told graduating students and other undergraduates that substance abuse has moved beyond street-level misuse to become a growing challenge within tertiary institutions, including lecture halls.
According to him, the drug landscape has evolved from traditional substances such as cannabis to more dangerous synthetic opioids and designer drugs, including Colorado, Loud, and Methamphetamine, with increasing involvement of social media platforms in distribution networks.
Marwa warned that a drug-related conviction can permanently damage a young person’s future, particularly in professional fields such as law, medicine, and engineering, stressing that NDLEA maintains a zero-tolerance policy.
He described drug abuse as a major driver of cultism and campus violence, adding that it impairs memory, weakens critical thinking, and in severe cases leads to psychosis or premature death.
Citing national data, he said the 2018 National Drug Use and Health Survey showed widespread substance abuse among Nigerians aged 15 to 64, with young people between 19 and 39 being the most affected. He also expressed concern about increasing experimentation among children below 15 years.
Marwa further disclosed that of 77,859 drug offenders arrested by NDLEA in the past five years, over 60 percent were youths, while a significant majority of those treated in NDLEA rehabilitation centres were also young people.
Addressing the graduating class, he urged them to remain mentally alert and disciplined as they enter what he described as an AI-powered and fintech-driven global economy.
“There is no room for a clouded mind in a fast-paced world,” he said, advising students to choose their peers carefully and avoid pressure from friends who encourage substance use.
He added that Nigeria needs the talent, energy, and sober minds of its youths to drive national development in the coming decade.
Marwa also called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, noting that drug abuse affects not only users but also families, institutions, and national productivity through rising crime and social instability.
He commended the University of Abuja leadership for its partnership with NDLEA in strengthening campus surveillance and urged other institutions to intensify drug education during orientation programmes and lectures.
The convocation lecture was attended by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso; Vice Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi; Council members; senior university officials; NDLEA officers; and students.
