The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has declared full support for Nigeria’s intensifying war against substance abuse, aligning with the efforts of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to combat the growing threat of illicit drug use among young people.
The position was made known when NANS leaders, led by their National President, Sola Oladoja, paid a strategic visit to the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Marwa at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja.
In a meeting that underscored rising concerns over drug abuse in tertiary institutions, the student leaders commended the NDLEA’s sustained crackdown on drug trafficking networks and its preventive campaigns targeting campuses.
Oladoja described the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative as a transformative intervention that has significantly increased awareness among students about the dangers of substance misuse.
He said the association’s support for the NDLEA is rooted in a shared responsibility to safeguard the future of Nigerian youths, noting that drug abuse continues to threaten academic performance, mental health, and societal stability.
The NANS leadership also used the occasion to reaffirm its backing of President Bola Tinubu and his Renewed Hope Agenda, pointing to policies they believe have directly impacted students and young people. Oladoja cited the rollout of the student loan scheme, improved stability in the academic calendar following the resolution of strikes, and expanded youth-focused programmes as evidence of the administration’s commitment.
According to him, these measures have strengthened confidence among students in the current government and informed their willingness to support its continuity beyond the current term.
Responding, Marwa welcomed the endorsement, describing Nigerian students as a critical constituency in the national effort to curb drug abuse. He noted that meaningful progress in the anti-drug campaign would require active collaboration with young people, particularly those in higher institutions where vulnerability to substance use remains high.
Marwa warned that drug abuse poses far-reaching consequences, from deteriorating health and disrupted education to increased crime and long-term social instability. He called on student leaders to take ownership of the campaign within their campuses by promoting awareness and discouraging peer influence toward drug use.
Addressing concerns over the Federal Government’s newly introduced drug integrity test policy for students, the NDLEA boss clarified that the initiative is not designed to punish but to protect. He explained that early identification of drug use allows for timely counselling, treatment, and rehabilitation, thereby preventing long-term damage.
The engagement ended with both NANS and NDLEA agreeing to deepen collaboration, signalling a more coordinated approach to tackling substance abuse within Nigeria’s academic environment.
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