The Niger State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised concerns over the growing involvement of university students in drug and substance abuse across the state.

The warning was issued by the Niger State NDLEA Commander, Shehu Nomau Gwadabawa, during a public lecture at the College of Education, Minna. The lecture, organised by the Students’ Wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups (SW-CNG), was themed “Building Responsible Student Leadership: Combating Drug Abuse, Thuggery, Hate Speech, and Campus Disunity Through Positive Values and Mentorship.”

Represented by the Area Commander of NDLEA Minna Municipal Special Operations Base, Amisu Mohammed, Gwadabawa highlighted that frequent raids on the Federal University of Technology (FUT) campuses have resulted in numerous arrests, with about 80 per cent of those detained being university students.

“NDLEA regularly conducts raids on the campuses of FUT, Minna. For every 10 people we apprehend, eight are usually university students,” he said.

In response to this trend, the agency has partnered with student unions in Niger State to strengthen anti-drug sensitisation campaigns on campuses. The NDLEA also prosecuted a 200-level student involved in drug dealing to set a legal precedent.

“At one point, we engaged the Student Union Government leadership, advising them that we would scale down raids outside university campuses, provided they intensified anti-drug sensitisation within their communities,” Gwadabawa explained. “This collaboration has yielded positive results, with fewer incidents of drug dealing reported on campuses.”

He further noted that cannabis sativa, commonly known as “loud” or “lite kalos,” remains the most widely abused substance among students.

To curb the trend, the NDLEA is implementing a primary prevention strategy targeting fresh students to discourage initiation into drug use.

“The NDLEA will continue its efforts, urging students to take responsibility for their actions and prioritise their health and well-being,” the commander added.