The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has warned students against the long-term dangers of drug abuse, saying the temporary high it offers can permanently derail their futures.
Marwa delivered the Public Lecture for the 29th and 30th Combined Convocation Ceremony of the University of Abuja on Tuesday 14th April 2026. Speaking on the topic “High Today, Lost Tomorrow: The Real Cost of Drug Abuse on Campus,” he said substance abuse has moved from being a street challenge to a lecture hall problem.
He noted that the drug landscape has shifted from traditional substances like cannabis to synthetic opioids and designer drugs such as Colorado, Loud, and Methamphetamine. He also expressed concern over the use of social networks for drug distribution and the involvement of students in trafficking.
“A criminal record for drug offences is a life sentence on your career before it even begins. You cannot practice law, medicine, or engineering with a drug-related conviction,” Marwa warned. He explained that drugs hijack neurotransmitters, erode memory and critical thinking, and are closely linked to cultism and campus violence. He added that arrest and conviction end professional aspirations because the Agency maintains a zero-tolerance policy.
Citing data, Marwa referenced the 2018 National Drug Use and Health Survey which indicted Nigerian youths, predominantly those between 25 and 39, for substance abuse. The survey also found that young people are initiated into substance abuse at about 19 years old, though children below 15 and 10 are now experimenting with illicit substances. He disclosed that of 77,859 drug offenders arrested in the past five years, over 60% were young people, some as young as 15. Majority of the 48,836 drug users counselled and treated in NDLEA facilities within the same period were also youths.
Addressing the graduating students, Marwa said: “You are about to enter a world that is AI-Powered and Fintech-driven, as your convocation theme suggests. 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.”
He stressed that drug abuse does not affect only the user but ripples outward to families, institutions, and society, increasing crime and reducing productivity. “A nation cannot thrive when its youth—its greatest asset—are compromised,” he said, urging all stakeholders to join government efforts in tackling the menace.
Marwa commended the leadership of the University of Abuja for partnering with NDLEA on campus surveillance and urged academic institutions to intensify drug education during orientation programmes and in lecture halls.
Dignitaries at the lecture included Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso; Vice Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi; Council Member, Dr. Adedeji Adefuye; senior officials of the university, students, and senior officers of NDLEA.
