A former vice chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Shuaib AbdulRaheem, has urged the federal government to establish the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), stations in tertiary schools with a view to holistically waging war against drug abuse among the youths.
AbdulRaheem said this in Ilorin, Kwara State while addressing newsmen on the adverse effects of drug abuse prevalent among the youth.
AbdulRaheem noted that the fight against drug abuse in higher institutions should not be left to the school management alone but with the active support of the government.
“I think it is time, not to leave the security, the monitoring of miscreants in the university to the management alone. I would have dared to challenge the government to establish a duty post for NDLEA in every institution so that they monitor and nip in the bud any suspected behaviour, which is likely to snowball into the kind of things we are hearing today.
“It is a bit saddening that our higher institutions have become, regrettably, dens of miscreants, drug addicts and anti-social behaviour.
It is not something that started yesterday, It’s been long coming, and I think the government must wake up to its responsibility”, he said.
While expressing his dismay over the rate of drug abuse amidst other social vices in the higher institutions, AbdulRaheem urged the school authorities to be “vigilant in selection of students, screening of students for admission, and monitoring that they live decent, disciplined and drug-free lives.
He, however, noted that the problem transcends the tertiary institution as it began right from lower level of education as well as from home.
The former FCC boss said that it is the duty of the parents and guardians to monitor their children and discourage them from engaging in anti-social activities like drug addiction and fraud as they are dangerous for their future progress.