The head of Nigeria’s drug control agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), has requested for the posting of corps members with medical and counseling backgrounds to NDLEA drug treatment centers across the country.
This proposal came during a visit by the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, to the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja. Marwa believes that involving corps members in drug counseling and rehabilitation work can play a key role in helping young people avoid falling into drug addiction.
According to Marwa, the plan would not only help fight drug abuse but also give corps members valuable hands-on experience in fields like psychology, nursing, and psychiatry.
“This will deepen their professional experience and enhance the agency’s rehabilitation efforts,” he said.
He also spoke again about NDLEA’s push for drug tests for corps members, saying it’s not about punishment, but prevention.
“The goal is prevention—helping individuals before drug use escalates into addiction,” he stressed.
Marwa revealed that drug use among Nigerians remains a serious problem, with one in every seven people between ages 15 and 64 using drugs. He warned that no part of the country is safe from the growing drug crisis.
To tackle this, the NDLEA is working on two fronts—stopping drug supply and also reducing demand. Marwa explained that education, counseling, and rehab are key tools in reducing how many people start using drugs.
He praised NYSC for already supporting anti-drug efforts through War Against Drug Abuse clubs in orientation camps, but urged for more collaboration. He also mentioned an earlier idea for couples to get drug-free certificates before marriage, as part of the agency’s broader prevention campaign.
In response, NYSC boss Nafiu called Marwa’s suggestions “fantastic” and promised to consider them. He said the NYSC would work on a system to assign qualified corps members to NDLEA centers with active treatment services.
TRENDING ALSO:
Niger Crisis: “ARREST ANYONE SEEN IN DREADLOCKS”- Bago
Nafiu also thanked Marwa for his leadership and pledged continued support in the joint fight against drug abuse.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Batch A stream one corpers arecurrently in their various camps for their 3 weeks orientation programmes.
