National Association of Nigerian Students has declared its total support for the proposed drug test for students gaining admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
NANS President, Asefon Sunday Daye, during his visit to the new Chairman/Chief Executive, NDLEA, Brig-Gen Buba Marwa, in Abuja, assured the agency of support for the decision.
He said drugs had done serious harm to students in the country, hence the need for a devised means to stop it.
He said, “We don’t want Nigerian students to continue to die of drugs.
“This initiative will not only prevent but would encourage students to stop the habit, knowing that the authorities would detect it.
“From your antecedents, we can go to bed with our two eyes closed with the assurance that Nigeria is in safe hands, on drug control issues.”
In his response, Marwa lauded the students association, adding that the decision is by no means punitive.
He said, “Your buying into our drug testing among students is equally encouraging because there have been some objections to the drug testing initiative.
“But we cannot watch our students use drugs and jump into a well thinking it is a swimming pool.
“The testing of students is to determine their status early enough and decide the form of intervention to deploy. It is by no means punitive.”