The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), has warned students of the long-term consequences of drug abuse, saying it can permanently derail careers and futures.
Marwa spoke on Tuesday at the University of Abuja’s combined 29th and 30th convocation lecture titled, “High Today, Lost Tomorrow: The Real Cost of Drug Abuse on Campus.”
“Substance abuse has moved from being a street challenge to a lecture hall problem,” he said. “A criminal record for drug offences is a life sentence on your career before it even begins.”
He warned that evolving drug trends, including synthetic opioids and designer substances, are increasingly prevalent on campuses, often distributed through social networks.
Marwa said drug abuse impairs memory, critical thinking, and fuels cultism and violence, adding that over 60% of the 77,859 drug offenders arrested in five years were youths.
“The loss of Nigeria’s best minds to addiction, psychosis, and premature death is a devastating cost we cannot ignore,” he said.
Addressing graduating students, Marwa urged them to remain focused and avoid peer pressure.
“There is no room for a clouded mind in a fast-paced world. If your friends require you to be ‘high’ to belong, you are in the wrong company,” he said.
He called for collective action against drug abuse, warning of its wider societal impact.
“A nation cannot thrive when its youth—its greatest asset—are compromised,” he said. “Nigeria needs your talent, your energy, and your sober mind to lead us into the next decade.”
Marwa also urged institutions to strengthen drug education and campus surveillance to curb the growing menace.
