The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has recorded some achievements in its war against abuse of narcotic substances, especially with the cooperation of sub-nationals.
The agency’s spokesman Femi Babafemi said some state governments in the country have embraced the NDLEA’s advocacy to make drug tests mandatory for appointees and employees.
Babafemi made this known on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief breakfast programme on Monday.
He said, “It’s an advocacy move and that has been going on since 2021. Quite a number of state governments are already making this a policy in their states to ensure that whoever goes for an elective position or whoever is appointed to the state government undergoes drug tests. That is going on.
“Like I said, it’s an advocacy move. It’s not a law; all we can do is to encourage the various stakeholders to buy into this.”
He said some politicians have been prosecuted for illicit involvement in hard drugs.
“In the last four years, from our record, about 65 barons including former public office holders had been arrested, prosecuted and convicted without mentioning anybody’s name to stigmatise them.”
Babafemi said some of those arrested and prosecuted by the Buba Marwa-led agency had “held offices may be at the level of the local government chairmanship position. Even as I speak, we still have quite a number of high-profile persons who are undergoing prosecution at the moment”.
The NDLEA spokesman further said beyond being a policy for political positions, employers and tertiary institutions have also embraced drug tests as part of their screening process to admit new talents.
Babafemi said, “This is going on not only at the level of politics or those seeking employment but also at the level of our young ones – those going into tertiary institutions – to ensure that they also undergo this test.
“We are glad that indeed this is going on around the country, in institutions – we have seen these institutions, both private and public make that a policy. All of this is to drive down the demand for illicit substances by young people.”
He said the agency has also pushed for prospective couples to undergo drug tests, noting that traditional and religious institutions are keying into it already.