The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the Federal Government to introduce compulsory drug testing for students in all tertiary institutions nationwide. The move is part of a broader national campaign to curb substance abuse among youths and restore discipline on campuses.
In a position paper signed by NANS President Comrade Olushola Oladoja, the student body advocated for the establishment of a government-backed Drug-Free Campus Initiative (DFCI) aimed at tackling the escalating problem of drug abuse in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Oladoja warned that substance abuse among students has reached a public health crisis, undermining academic performance, moral values, and national productivity.
“Drug abuse among students is no longer an isolated concern; it has evolved into a public health crisis affecting learning, safety, and national productivity,” NANS stated.
The association identified substances such as marijuana, tramadol, codeine, and methamphetamine (commonly called ‘ice’ or ‘mkpurummiri’) as the most commonly abused drugs on campuses. They further linked drug use to increased cases of violence, cultism, and other social vices.
“Most cases of cultism, assault, and campus unrest are traceable to substance influence. Drug abuse fuels aggression and moral decay among students,” the statement read.
Recommendations
To combat this trend, NANS called for:
- Mandatory drug tests at entry and graduation in all tertiary institutions.
- Collaboration between the Ministry of Education, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), school authorities, and student unions.
- Drug testing supervised by NDLEA officials and institutional health units.
- The initiative to serve as both a preventive and corrective mechanism in controlling drug abuse on campuses.
