The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has proposed drug tests for both new and returning students as part of measures to reduce drug use at the University of Abuja.

The chairman, NDLEA, Buba Marwa made the proposal during the inauguration of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) drug-free university campaign on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Marwa said that it was expected that the University of Abuja, being the “university of national unity”, would be the first public university in Nigeria to adopt the drug test for fresh and returning students of the institution.

“This will also entail that the university will develop a drug policy and make such available to each student.

“Equally important is the need to create an NDLEA outpost on the campus where we’ll deploy our men to assist the authorities, detect drug dealers and users within the university, ” he said.

Mr Marwa said that the menace of drug use was of worrisome dimension.

He said it was commendable to know that the UniAbuja has a functional counselling and career services centre which attends to the psychological and emotional needs of the students including those struggling with drug addiction.

“As such, I would recommend the establishment of counselling (and career services) centres in all universities which are yet to establish such, ” he said.

Also speaking, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said that the universities’ collaboration with NDLEA on drug war would yield tremendous results.

(NAN)