A major policy shift has emerged in Nigeria’s education and anti-drug enforcement sectors, as candidates preparing for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination will now be subjected to compulsory drug testing before being considered for admission into tertiary institutions.
The new directive was announced by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), marking what analysts describe as one of the most aggressive anti-drug campaigns targeting youths in recent years.
The announcement came from the agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), during a reception held in Abuja to formally welcome him into his renewed tenure.
Addressing NDLEA officials, Marwa not only commended personnel for their work over the years but also promised tougher anti-drug strategies, declaring that drug cartels who previously evaded enforcement “with whips should now prepare for scorpions.”
According to Marwa, the introduction of drug testing for JAMB candidates is part of a broader national strategy aimed at prevention rather than reaction.
He explained that the NDLEA had secured the support of the Minister of Education, who agreed to include mandatory drug screening in the admission process for students seeking entry into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
The agency believes early testing will help detect substance dependence before it matures into full-scale addiction.
He further elaborated on NDLEA’s expanded drug demand reduction initiatives, emphasising prevention, counseling, rehabilitation, and public sensitisation.
Marwa disclosed that the agency currently operates 30 rehabilitation centres across Nigeria, with plans underway to establish additional zonal facilities in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health.
The objective, he said, is to widen access to treatment for young people already entangled in substance abuse.
The NDLEA’s new directive arrives amid growing national anxiety over the rise of drug use among secondary school and university students.
Recent academic studies have linked the trend to parental neglect, social pressure, declining moral structures, and economic hardship.
One study focusing on universities across the South-East region found alcohol to be the most abused substance at 61.5 percent, followed by cigarettes at 54.5 percent.
Other commonly abused drugs identified include tramadol (35 percent), cough syrup mixtures (33 percent), shisha (30.5 percent), and cannabis (25.5 percent).
Authorities warn that the situation is further compounded by NDLEA’s estimate that more than ten million Nigerians currently use cannabis, a figure that has raised alarm among policymakers.
Several violent incidents involving secondary school students have also been linked to the influence of hard drugs, prompting calls for stricter oversight within the school system.
While many parents have welcomed the new screening policy as a preventative measure, others argue that it could stigmatise students or be poorly implemented in rural communities.
Education stakeholders are now awaiting formal guidelines on how the tests will be conducted, who will bear the financial cost, and how the results will be integrated into the admission process.
The NDLEA’s directive signals a new era of student monitoring and youth-targeted drug control, setting the stage for what could become one of the most controversial educational policies implemented ahead of the 2024/2025 admission cycle.