According to him, the drug landscape has evolved beyond traditional substances such as cannabis to include synthetic opioids and designer drugs like Colorado, Loud, and methamphetamine.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has warned Nigerian youths, particularly undergraduates, that the temporary “euphoria” of drug use often comes with devastating long-term consequences capable of derailing their future.
Marwa gave the warning on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, while delivering a public lecture at the 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja titled “High Today, Lost Tomorrow: The Real Cost of Drug Abuse on Campus.”
He said substance abuse, once largely seen as a street-level problem, has now become a growing challenge within tertiary institutions.
According to him, the drug landscape has evolved beyond traditional substances such as cannabis to include synthetic opioids and designer drugs like Colorado, Loud, and methamphetamine.
He also expressed concern over the increasing use of social media platforms for drug distribution, as well as the alleged involvement of students in trafficking.
The statement was issued by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, on Tuesday.
“A criminal record for drug offences is a life sentence on your career before it even begins. You cannot practise law, medicine, or engineering with a drug-related conviction,” Marwa warned, while outlining the devastating impact of substance abuse across critical areas.
He said that beyond hijacking human neurotransmitters and impairing memory and critical thinking, drug abuse is closely linked to cultism and campus violence, describing it as a major enabler of insecurity in tertiary institutions.
Marwa added that arrest and conviction for drug-related offences often end professional aspirations, as the Agency maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy on drug abuse and trafficking.
He further warned that one of the most devastating consequences of substance abuse is the loss of Nigeria’s brightest minds to mental illness, including psychosis, as well as premature death.
According to him, “there is correlation between constructed-reality about getting intoxicated and the actual abuse of substance by young people”.
He said, “The National Drug Use and Health Survey report of 2018 was an open aperture on the use of psychoactive substances for non-medical purposes by Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64.
“In summary, the report of the survey indicted Nigerian youths, predominantly those between 25 and 39, for substance abuse. The survey also established the fact that young people are initiated into substance abuse at about the age of 19 years. Unfortunately, today, we even see kids who are below 15 and 10 already experimenting with illicit substances.
“Statistics from NDLEA activities further infused dire angles to this drug use dossier and invariably throw up a disturbing portrait of substance abuse among youths. For instance, of the 77,859 drug offenders arrested in the past five years, over 60% of them were young people, both male and female, some of them as young as 15 years old.
“Similarly, majority of the 48,836 drug users counselled and treated in NDLEA treatment facilities within the same period were overwhelmingly young people.”
Addressing the graduating students directly, Marwa urged them to remain sober as they begin the next phase of their lives.
“You are about to enter a world that is AI-Powered and Fintech-driven, as your convocation theme suggests,” he said.
“There is no room for a clouded mind in a fast-paced world. Choose your circle. Peer pressure is the primary gateway. If your friends require you to be ‘high’ to belong, you are in the wrong company. And as you receive your degrees on Friday and Saturday, remember that character comes before learning.
“The University of Abuja is the University for Nigeria’s Unity. Let us unite against this scourge. Don’t let a moment of ‘high’ cost you your tomorrow. Nigeria needs your talent, your energy, and, most importantly, your sober mind to lead us into the next decade.”
Marwa urged stakeholders to support government efforts in addressing drug abuse, warning that its impact extends beyond users to families, institutions, and society at large.
He said substance abuse places emotional and financial strain on families, damages institutional reputation, fuels crime, and reduces productivity, stressing that no nation can thrive when its youth are affected by drug misuse.
Marwa also noted a strong link between drug abuse and criminality, describing the relationship as a daily reality that must not be ignored.
He warned that failure to tackle the problem would leave young people without direction and compromise the future of the country, while success would help secure their potential.
He called for stronger preventive measures, including intensified drug education in schools, especially during orientation programmes and lectures.
The NDLEA boss also commended the University of Abuja for its collaboration with the agency in strengthening campus surveillance.
Source: Sahara Repoters
