Students of Tertiary Institutions Urged to Shun Drug Abuse as Future Leaders
By Our Correspondent
The former Vice Chancellor of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Professor Mohammed Nasiru Maiturare, has advised students in tertiary institutions to avoid drug abuse and other social vices to become responsible future leaders in the country.
He delivered this message during a one-day public lecture themed, “Building Responsible Student Leadership: Combating Drug Abuse, Thuggery, Hate Speech, and Campus Disunity Through Positive Values and Mentorship,” organized by the Students’ Wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Niger State chapter, held in Minna.
Professor Maiturare pointed out that such social issues quietly escalate when core values weaken, mentorship is lacking, and leadership loses its moral direction. When this occurs, the integrity of the university begins to break down from within.
He expressed sadness that campuses nationwide, including ours, face serious challenges that threaten the ideals of higher education. Drug abuse, violent behavior, intolerance in speech, and divisions among students do not develop overnight.
The National Coordinator of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, stated that the lecture aims to inspire reflection, bolster moral courage, and rekindle a sense of responsibility, as campuses serve not only as centers of learning but also as training grounds for future leaders.
The Niger State NDLEA Commander, Shehu Gwadawaba, represented by the Area Commander of the Metropolitan Operation Station in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria, Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Hamisu Mohammed, reported that the global prevalence of drug use among students is 5.6%. In Nigeria, the rate is 14.5%, with 10.4% in the North Central region, based on a recent study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Mohammed explained that the high prevalence of drug use on Nigerian campuses is a major concern for the NDLEA, leading to a series of raids on university campuses, with estimates indicating that 50 percent of university students, both on and off campus, are involved with drugs.
He added that the agency has been working closely with student unions to implement primary measures aimed at curbing the drug menace among students.
