The buzz may feel good now, but Nigeria’s anti-drug boss says the crash is costing a whole generation its future.
Nigeria’s drug war front just got louder and more urgent.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has raised the red flag, warning that rising drug abuse among youths is no longer just a bad habit — it’s a full-blown public health threat.
Speaking at a campus lecture at University of Abuja, NDLEA boss Mohammed Marwa broke it down bluntly: young people chasing grades, vibes, or escape are unknowingly gambling with their future.
From cannabis and codeine to tramadol and synthetic drugs, substances are flooding campuses — and fast becoming “normal.” Marwa says the culture of “getting high” is being glamorised, especially online, masking the real damage underneath.
The numbers? Not pretty.
Nigeria’s drug use rate sits at 14.4% — nearly triple the global average. Even more alarming, over 60% of nearly 78,000 drug arrests in the past five years involve young people. Rehab centres tell a similar story, packed mostly with youths trying to find their way back.
And it’s evolving.
From drug-laced cookies and drinks to meth labs (yes, real ones), the playbook is changing. Cannabis still leads the pack, but newer, more dangerous trends are creeping in — quietly but steadily.
Marwa calls campuses a “critical battleground,” where trafficking networks, peer pressure, and social media collide. The fallout? Failing grades, mental health struggles, broken families — and in some cases, death.
Also weighing in, Vice-Chancellor Hakeem Fawehinmi said the ease of access to drugs is fuelling the crisis, turning it into a billion-dollar global problem with local consequences.
The takeaway: this isn’t just about enforcement — it’s about awareness, prevention, and serious community action.
Because as the lecture title warns what feels like a high today could leave a lasting low tomorrow.
Leave a comment