Marwa Advocates Mandatory Drug Tests for Couples, Students

Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), advocated for mandatory drug tests for intending couples and students seeking admission into tertiary institutions to combat substance abuse.

Marwa made this statement on Tuesday in Dutse during the launch of Jigawa State’s Campaign Against Drug Abuse and Mass Mobilisation for Societal Reorientation. Governor Umar Namadi signed two executive orders aimed at establishing state task forces to address drug abuse and promote moral values.

Marwa emphasized that drug screening should be a routine requirement before marriage, similar to HIV and genotype tests, to prevent family crises associated with substance abuse. He also mentioned that the Federal Government has mandated drug tests for students before resumption.

Between January 2021 and December 2025, the NDLEA arrested 77,859 suspected drug offenders and secured 14,122 convictions. Marwa noted that Jigawa’s drug use prevalence is about seven percent, one of the lowest in Nigeria.