The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is intensifying its campaign against substance abuse by proposing mandatory drug integrity tests for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and individuals preparing for marriage.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), explained the rationale behind the proposal during a meeting with the NYSC leadership in Abuja on April 23, 2025.

Speaking to NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, Marwa clarified that the tests are not intended to be punitive but are part of a broader strategy to curb drug abuse and intervene early in cases of dependence.

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“It is always better to detect drug use early before it gets to addiction, which eventually could get to psychiatric problems, and it becomes a danger to the user and society,” Marwa stated.

While welcoming the new NYSC chief, Marwa commended the scheme as “a national treasure and a veritable instrument of national unity.”

He highlighted the alarming rate of drug use in the country and called for collective efforts in tackling the challenge.

“The drug scourge has continued to devastate our kids, families, and communities everywhere. There’s nowhere you go in the country that you don’t have a drug abuse problem,” he said. “One in seven Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64 uses drugs.”

Marwa emphasized that while NDLEA is working hard to restrict access and availability of drugs, reducing demand is equally important.

He urged NYSC to play a more active role in this regard.

“You have mentioned our efforts to cut off access and availability of these drugs but beyond that, we have to work with all stakeholders, including NYSC to ensure drastic reduction in the demand for drugs by our youths, and one of our strategies to address this is through our drug integrity test, which we’re advocating that NYSC should embrace for corps members.”

He also praised the introduction of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) clubs in NYSC camps, describing them as a positive development, while calling for further collaboration in areas such as prevention, counseling, and rehabilitation.

“This is a major drug demand reduction effort. In the same way we said, if you are getting married, both the bride and the groom should bring a drug-free certificate,” he added.

According to Marwa, early detection remains key to managing substance abuse and preventing it from evolving into more severe health or social issues.

Residents of Istanbul were jolted by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday, which struck the Marmara Sea near the city’s western fringes, prompting widespread concern but causing no immediate casualties.

The quake, which occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time (0949 GMT), originated in Silivri, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

“An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Marmara Sea, Istanbul,” he confirmed on X, formerly Twitter. Yerlikaya also noted that tremors were felt in nearby provinces.

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Following the initial tremor, Turkey’s disaster management authority, AFAD, reported three more earthquakes ranging from 4.4 to 4.9 in magnitude.

The seismic activity sent people fleeing onto the streets, with many seen anxiously checking their phones or making calls.

“I just felt earthquake, I’ve got to get out,” said a decorator who dashed out of a fourth-floor apartment near Galata Tower. He declined to give his name, visibly shaken by the experience.

Despite the intensity, there were no reports of injuries or building collapses in the city of approximately 16 million people.

“Until now, we have no information about any buildings collapsing,” the governor’s office stated, urging residents to avoid entering structures that may have sustained damage.

Reassuring citizens, the Istanbul municipality also confirmed, “No serious cases have been reported so far following the earthquake in Istanbul,” in a post on X.

Tremors from the quake were reportedly felt as far as Sofia, Bulgaria, according to AFP journalists in the capital.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation as aftershocks persist and damage assessments are conducted across the region.

As violent attacks and killings continue to plague parts of Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia has ruled out the need for a state of emergency, insisting instead on immediate and absolute support from the Federal Government to combat the crisis.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, Governor Alia said the security situation, though dire, is not beyond the capacity of his administration to manage.

However, he emphasized that increased federal assistance is crucial to fully restoring peace to the troubled state.

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“What we need is emergency help for now. We need absolute support,” the governor stated. “The federal government is supporting — they sent two armoured tanks that came in. Our situation had changed. We had a better narrative, but what we need to do is to get our people back home, to drive out the invaders… Calling for any emergency does not occur here.”

Alia blamed the persistent violence on armed herders, many of whom he claims are non-Nigerians. According to him, the assailants have displaced local farmers and occupied ancestral lands, creating a humanitarian and security crisis that needs urgent attention.

The governor also pointed to progress made under his administration, noting a reduction in the number of local government areas under attack from 17 to just six.

“We couldn’t have trimmed it from 17 local governments in the front lines of the attacks to nine and then now to six, which means we have the capability to do this — but we need help. And that is a fact,” he said.

Governor Alia reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the people of Benue and restoring displaced communities, but stressed that federal collaboration remains vital to achieving lasting peace in the state.