Indications have emerged that the House of Representatives may pass a law, making drug test compulsory for politicians in Nigeria.
Chairman of the House committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Francis Agbo who made the disclosure during its 2022 budget defence meeting with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday, also noted that the House was opposed to the legalization of cannabis, saying the legal backing to the use of the substance will increase the number of mentally insane people.
“Once you become a candidate of a political party, you must undergo the routine drug test, this will enable us understand better the kind of people we are dealing with” he said, adding that the proposed law will ensure capital punishment for drug law offenders, forfeiture of their assets and a jail term as the case may be
The lawmaker also blamed the increasing level of terrorism, kidnapping and other social vices on the consumption of narcotics, noting that there was need for a collective effort to end the menace.
Agbo expressed the ninth assembly’s readiness to support the NDLEA succeed in delivering its mandate.
Presenting its N35 billion budget for 2022, Chairman of NDLEA, Gen. Buba Marwa said there is no business with financial muscle like drug dealing, calling for more funding for the agency to succeed.
hence the need for improved funding for the agency to curtail the menace
He explained that the NDLEA currently has 10, 000 personnel, but intend to increase the number to 15, 000 next year.
Highlights of the budget showed that an estimated N250 million was earmarked for the purchase of vehicles, and a disclosure that the agency has established a marine unit.
