NDLEA blames proliferation of club houses for rising drug abuse in KWASU community

By Ahmed Olayinka

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed concern over the rising incidence of drug abuse in Malete, the host community of Kwara State University (KWASU), attributing the trend to the increasing number of club houses and the activities of drug dealers operating within student environments.

The Kwara State Commander of the NDLEA, Fatima Popoola, made this known during a drug abuse sensitisation programme organised by the agency in collaboration with Kwara State University.

Popoola described the abuse of nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas, among students and youths in Malete as alarming, revealing that the agency has made several arrests linked to the substance.

According to her, one suspect was recently arrested behind an off-campus student hostel, while several others have been apprehended during intelligence-led operations across the community.

She explained that although operating club houses is not illegal, the activities taking place in many of them have become a major source of concern for the agency.

“There are many club houses in Malete where laughing gas is being abused by young people during parties and social gatherings. The substance affects the brain, causing users to laugh uncontrollably and exhibit abnormal behaviour,” she said.

The NDLEA commander also accused some landlords and house agents of inadvertently aiding drug trafficking by renting accommodation in student hostels to non-students who allegedly use the premises as distribution centres for illicit drugs.

She disclosed that several raids carried out by the agency in off-campus hostels had led to the arrest of drug dealers, including some students involved in the illegal trade.

According to Popoola, some of the students arrested, particularly female students, claimed they resorted to drug trafficking as a means of financing their education.

She called on landlords and house agents to be more vigilant in screening prospective tenants, warning against allocating rooms in student hostels to individuals who are not bona fide students.

The NDLEA commander commended the management of Kwara State University for supporting the Federal Government’s drug integrity testing policy, noting that KWASU was the first tertiary institution in Kwara State where the initiative was implemented.

She said the programme has since been extended to other higher institutions across the state as part of efforts to curb substance abuse among students.

Popoola stressed that the agency remains committed to eliminating drug abuse in academic environments and disclosed that approval has been secured to establish an NDLEA operational office in Malete to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering and enforcement activities.

She warned that the agency would intensify enforcement operations against drug dealers and users, declaring that future visits to the community would focus on enforcement rather than sensitisation.

Addressing landlords, she urged them to take responsibility for activities within their properties, noting that the establishment of KWASU had transformed Malete into a thriving commercial town but had also attracted criminal elements exploiting students through the sale of illicit substances.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University, Prof. Luqman Jimoh, reaffirmed the institution’s zero-tolerance policy on drug abuse and other social vices.

He described substance abuse as one of the greatest threats to academic excellence and societal development, noting that it contributes to poor academic performance, criminal behaviour, ruined careers and the loss of promising futures.

Prof. Jimoh assured that the university would continue to enforce its disciplinary regulations against any student found engaging in drug abuse or any act capable of tarnishing the institution’s image.

He, however, emphasised that prevention through continuous education, awareness campaigns and collaboration with relevant stakeholders remains the most effective strategy for addressing the menace.

The sensitisation programme formed part of the NDLEA’s ongoing campaign to promote a drug-free society and encourage responsible behaviour among students and youths across Kwara State.