NDLEA Drug Test For University Admissions Begins Nationwide

The NDLEA has introduced compulsory drug screening for students seeking admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges across the country.

The agency says the move is aimed at tackling the rising use of hard drugs among young people before it grows into addiction.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), who returned as NDLEA Chairman for another five-year term, announced the new policy at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. He explained that the plan is an early-warning system designed to detect drug use at the point of entry into tertiary institutions and provide timely intervention.

He said the Ministry of Education has fully approved the initiative after reviewing the proposal and agreeing that prevention must start before young people become deeply exposed to harmful substances.

Marwa noted that the screening policy is one part of a wider effort to discourage drug misuse and guide young Nigerians toward safer and more productive choices. He added that the agency is also pushing for the cultivation of legal crops to help communities move away from dangerous drug-related activities.

He reaffirmed the NDLEA’s focus on prevention, awareness, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation. He revealed that seven new rehabilitation centres have been added to the 2025 budget under the Renewed Hope Agenda, bringing the country closer to having a rehab facility in every state.

Marwa also issued a warning to drug traffickers and others involved in illegal drug activity. He said the agency is prepared to go after anyone who refuses to quit, stressing that offenders will be arrested, their drugs seized and their assets taken.