Hajia Fatima Abiola-Popoola, the Commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kwara State, has recommended that incoming university students undergo compulsory drug testing as a requirement for admission.
While speaking during a radio program in Ilorin, she stressed that such tests would serve as a preventive measure, allowing for early intervention and counseling for students who may already be using hard substance.
“This would help prevent them from becoming problematic users,” she explained.
Hajia Abiola-Popoola expressed deep concern over the increasing number of drug users in Nigeria, citing a 2018 survey that revealed alarming statistics.
“The survey shows that 14.3 million people in Nigeria were using drugs. One out of seven people in the country is a drug user, and one out of four drug users is a woman,” she stated.
She highlighted the societal implications of these figures, noting that the rising number of female drug users is particularly troubling, as women play a central role in the home.
“This shows that society is in trouble because a woman is the administrator of the home,” she added.
Meanwhile, the proposal for mandatory drug testing for university students is part of a broader effort by the NDLEA to address the growing drug problem in Nigeria, aiming to curb substance abuse before it escalates.