Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has said he is currently pushing for drug test on all politicians.
Nigerian politicians include President Muhammadu Buhari, National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, all state governors and several others.
He added that workers and students should also undergo drug test.
Marwa stated that the reason he is pushing to conduct drug test on politicians, workers and students was to be able to urgently provide help for those who need treatment and rehabilitation, in addition to serving as deterrence.
He stated this in his remarks while signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with a firm, Primly Services Limited for the supply of free drug test kits to NDLEA in Abuja on Thursday.
Expressing happiness that the MoU was finally signed almost three years after the federal government had approved the deal, the NDLEA boss said, at the centre of drug demand reduction is drug testing.
“Practically, all Nigerians should be subjected to drug test; politicians, students, workers and all. We have set the ball rolling at the agency because charity begins at home. This will enable us know those afflicted, who need treatment and rehabilitation.
“Equally, it will deter drug abuse because if you know that the result of a drug test will hamper your progression in school, political career or at work, it will deter you. In the same vein, we do expect parents to make sure their children dont get married to addicts by insisting on drug test before marriage,” he said in a statement issued by NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi.
Gen. Marwa expressed delight in the readiness by the Managing Director of Primly Services Ltd, Dr. Vincent Udenze to always contribute to efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit substances.
”In the course of PACEDA work, Primly Services was part of our resource persons and through that we got to know about this MoU, which had been approved by the Federal Government since 2019 and Im surprised that up till 2021, it has not been executed until now,” he said.
Thanking the firm for its professionalism and willingness to partner with NDLEA in fighting the drug scourge afflicting the country, Marwa said apart from the high quality of the test kits, they were coming at no cost to the agency, adding that the company will only recover its cost from testing.
“We should continue to look for more ways of cooperation to make Nigeria a drug free nation, which is a task that must be done,” he added.
Earlier, Dr. Udenze said apart from the test kits coming to NDLEA at no cost, “we will ensure that the kits are one of the best in the country and we will not fail in our duty in this regard.”
