The Federal Ministry of Education and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have launched a joint initiative aimed at tackling rising cases of drug abuse among students and young people across the country. The partnership was announced after a strategic meeting held in Abuja, where the Minister of Education,……
The Federal Ministry of Education and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have launched a joint initiative aimed at tackling rising cases of drug abuse among students and young people across the country.
The partnership was announced after a strategic meeting held in Abuja, where the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, said the increasing use of synthetic drugs among young Nigerians poses a major threat to education, productivity and national development.
Alausa said the ministry would introduce drug prevention education into the secondary school curriculum, with plans to extend it to primary schools.
He also disclosed that a Special Substance Abuse Prevention Unit would be established within the ministry to coordinate awareness campaigns, early intervention programmes and other preventive measures nationwide.
According to the minister, the initiative forms part of efforts to protect the country’s youthful population and strengthen human capital development.
He said with more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population below the age of 50, urgent steps were needed to address the growing drug abuse crisis.
Alausa described the collaboration with the NDLEA as a major step toward integrating preventive education into the school system, while commending the anti-drug agency for its ongoing enforcement efforts.
He also pledged continued collaboration with civil society groups and community stakeholders to build resilience among young people.
Speaking at the meeting, NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.), revealed that about 14 million Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64 currently use drugs.
Marwa said drug prevalence in some states had risen to as high as 33 per cent, describing the situation as alarming.
He disclosed that the agency had made more than 40,000 arrests, secured 8,682 convictions and seized over 5,500 metric tonnes of illicit drugs within the last two years.
To strengthen implementation, both agencies agreed to establish a Joint Technical Working Group comprising representatives of the Ministries of Education and Health, alongside NDLEA officials.
The committee will oversee curriculum development, teacher training, awareness campaigns and policy frameworks for drug testing in tertiary institutions.
The NDLEA also pledged support for the training of teachers as first responders in identifying and addressing substance abuse cases among students.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, confirmed that the Special Substance Abuse Prevention Unit would begin operations immediately.
He added that the ministry would also collaborate with the NDLEA Academy in Jos on training and forensic support programmes.
The initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to address substance abuse and promote youth development across the country.
