FG pushes mandatory drug tests for public officers
By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Federal Government has renewed its campaign against illicit drug use with a directive that makes drug testing compulsory for individuals seeking employment in public service, describing the move as a key response to Nigeria’s growing drug abuse challenge.
The policy, announced in December, instructed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to include drug screening as a core requirement for recruitment. Authorities said the step supports the present administration’s commitment to confront substance abuse and protect the integrity of the national workforce.
Findings from a 2019 survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime showed that 10.6 million Nigerians abuse marijuana, while local cultivation rivals Afghanistan, which is regarded as the world’s second-largest exporter of marijuana resin.
The survey also highlighted the consumption of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and locally brewed substances among Nigerian youths.
Although the pre-employment testing policy has been widely welcomed, stakeholders insist that restricting the programme to new entrants will not deliver the desired impact.
They argue that drug screening should extend to serving public officials, elected office holders, security agencies, traditional institutions, tertiary institutions and students. They add that random and routine testing would help safeguard public resources and strengthen national security.
Supporters of the initiative said its effectiveness rests on random mandatory testing, which could encourage discipline and discourage drug use across all sectors.
They also called for consistent political support to sustain the programme.Concerns over substance abuse within security agencies have also been raised.
In 2019, Premium Times reported that a police officer killed a truck driver for refusing to pay a N50 bribe at a checkpoint on the Owo-Akure Expressway.