Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has issued a stark ultimatum to Nigeria’s students: the fleeting high of narcotics isn’t worth the permanent loss of a career. Delivering a sharp wake-up call to the next generation of leaders, Marwa warned that the temporary escape of drug use carries a catastrophic price tag—one capable of derailing professional futures before they even begin.
In a statement released on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi reported that Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has raised the alarm over a shift in the drug crisis: substance abuse has migrated from the streets directly into the lecture halls. Delivering a public lecture at the University of Abuja’s 29th and 30th Combined Convocation—pointedly titled “High Today, Lost Tomorrow: The Real Cost of Drug Abuse on Campus”—Marwa warned that narcotics now pose a direct, internal threat to Nigeria’s academic institutions and the professional futures of its students.
Marwa further observed that Nigeria’s drug landscape has evolved from traditional substances like cannabis into a sophisticated web of synthetic opioids and “designer” narcotics, including Colorado, Loud, and Methamphetamine. Expressing deep concern over the digital shift in the trade, the Chairman highlighted how social networks have become the new frontier for distribution, alarmingly drawing students into the dangerous world of drug 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, while outlining the devastating impact of substance abuse across critical areas.
He further warned that narcotics do more than just hijack neurotransmitters and erode critical thinking; they are the “twin brothers” of cultism and campus violence. He emphasized that the NDLEA’s zero-tolerance policy ensures that an arrest or conviction effectively terminates a student’s professional aspirations before they begin. Beyond the legal fallout, he lamented the most tragic price of all: the permanent loss of Nigeria’s brightest minds to drug-induced psychosis and premature death.
“There is correlation between constructed-reality about getting intoxicated and the actual abuse of substance by young people.
The National Drug Use and Health Survey report of 2018 was an open aperture on the use of psychoactive substances for non-medical purposes by Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64.
“In summary, the report of the survey indicted Nigerian youths, predominantly those between 25 and 39, for substance abuse. The survey also established the fact that young people are initiated into substance abuse at about the age of 19 years.
Unfortunately, today, we even see kids who are below 15 and 10 already experimenting with illicit substances.”
“Statistics from NDLEA activities further infused dire angles to this drug use dossier and invariably throw up a disturbing portrait of substance abuse among youths. For instance, of the 77, 859 drug offenders arrested in the past five years, over 60% of them were young people, both male and female, some of them as young as 15 years old.
”Similarly, majority of the 48, 836 drug users counselled and treated in NDLEA treatment facilities within the same period were overwhelmingly young people.”
Directly addressing the graduating class, Marwa challenged the new alumni to embrace sobriety as the foundation for their next chapter. He issued a stirring call to action, reminding them that their future success—and the nation’s progress—demands a clear mind.
His words: “Nigeria needs your talent, energy, and sober minds to lead us into the next decade. As you step into this new phase of life, remember that your brilliance is a strategic national asset—do not trade it for the fleeting high of narcotics.”
“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.”
Calling on all stakeholders to unite against the scourge, the NDLEA boss highlighted the destructive ripple effect of addiction, noting that the damage extends far beyond the individual user.
His words: “Drug abuse is never a solitary struggle. It ripples outward: families are fractured by emotional and financial strain, institutions suffer deep reputational wounds, and society is left to shoulder the burden of lost productivity and rising crime. Ultimately, no nation can thrive when its greatest asset—its youth—is compromised.”
“The contributive role of substance abuse to crime and criminality is a strong reason for society to not treat drug issues with levity. The nexus between crime and illicit drugs is not an abstraction, but an everyday reality plaguing contemporary society. We must surmount the substance abuse challenge. It is important to protect our young ones from the vices and vanities of the youth of which substance abuse is a big threat. Success in this assignment will give us assurances that our youths will reach the greatness of the future. Failure will leave the younger generation stranded in the wilderness of life where the future becomes a mirage”, he added.
Marwa concluded by commending the University of Abuja’s leadership for their proactive partnership with the NDLEA in bolstering campus surveillance. He further charged all academic institutions to transition from awareness to action by embedding intensive drug education into both orientation programmes and daily lecture hall curricula.
The high-profile event drew a distinguished audience, including the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso; Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi; and Council Member, Dr. Adedeji Adefuye, alongside senior university officials, NDLEA top brass, and a captivated student body.
