The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) have asked the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on the problem of hard drugs.
They made this appeal during the 2025 national human rights lecture in Abuja. The theme of the event was “Keeping Nigerian children free from hard drugs: A task for all.”
Speaking at the event, NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Marwa (retired), said drug abuse is harming society and increasing violent crimes. He spoke through the agency’s Secretary, Shadrach Haruna, and explained that drug abuse is a major national problem that contributes to crime and insecurity.
Marwa said the NDLEA has created plans not only to stop drug trafficking but also to educate and inform the public so that everyone can join the fight. He added that the agency goes beyond arresting and prosecuting drug traffickers—it also recommends drug tests for public officials, people planning to get married, and others, to help with treatment and recovery. He praised HURIWA for supporting the NDLEA’s efforts.
In his opening speech, HURIWA’s national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, spoke about the serious effects of hard drugs on Nigerian youths. He said many young people in Nigeria are addicted to drugs, similar to a situation reported by the BBC in the UK, where youths are hooked on ketamine, a strong drug used on animals but also medically approved.
He said that in May this year, drug addiction among young Nigerians became a major concern. A United Nations report showed that 14.4% of Nigerians aged 15 to 64 abuse drugs—almost three times the global average.
Statistics show that 1 in 5 drug users needs urgent medical help. Studies also reveal that 82.5% of boys in correctional homes suffer from mental health problems.
It was explained that drug trafficking is making violent crimes and economic problems worse. Without fast action, Nigeria may face more crime, chaos, and risk losing an entire generation of young people. This is why HURIWA chose the issue of drug abuse among children as the theme for this year’s lecture.
One study from a juvenile home in North-Central Nigeria showed that 82.5% of the boys there had mental health issues. The most common were behavior problems (40.8%), followed by drug use disorders (15.8%), anxiety (14.2%), psychosis (6.7%), and mood disorders (5%).
A psychiatry professor from Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Olurotimi Coker, warned that the mental health crisis among boys in Nigeria is getting worse.
Back in 2017, experts warned that if nothing is done, Nigeria might become a country full of drug addicts. Reports said that people in Kano and Jigawa States were consuming 3 million bottles of codeine every day.
Even Nigeria’s food and drug agency, NAFDAC, is worried about the widespread use of codeine-based cough syrups. HURIWA praised NDLEA’s efforts under Gen. Marwa’s leadership to fight drug abuse. They said dangerous people are targeting Nigerian children with drugs, and that’s why they want the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to declare a national emergency on drug addiction. They also want the NDLEA to get more legal power and resources to keep fighting this problem.
A former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Sadiq Abba, urged all Nigerians to support the NDLEA in the fight against drugs. He also said the agency needs more funding and stronger laws to do its job well.
