Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance (CACOBAG) Thursday called for a legal framework to make it compulsory for politicians to undergo drug integrity tests.
“It is politicians under drug influence that have an insatiable appetite to loot and loot thereby depriving people of good governance and basic necessities of life,” said the Chairman of the coalition, Prince Toyin Raheem.
He spoke during a rally against drug abuse in conjunction with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The team also visited the palace of Oba of Agege where they solicited for the support of the traditional institution in the fight against drug abuse.
The chairman in his remarks reiterated the call on the chairman of NDLEA, Brig-General Buba Marwa rtd to institutionalise integrity test for students in higher institutions and politicians.
“In fact, there should be a legal framework to make it mandatory for all politicians to undergo the drug integrity test,” he said.
Raheem noted that research had shown that many crimes including corruption, murder, banditry and so on are committed after the use of hard drugs.
He said, “A looter that loots the treasury to the extent of burying millions/billions of Naira, dollar and other hard currencies is suffering from nothing other than psychiatric problems which are often a resultant effect of hard drugs.
“To us at CACOBAG, if the country succeeds in eradicating the use and peddlling of hard drugs, other law enforcement agencies like Customs, Police, Civil Defense and Road Safety Corps may have lesser crimes to contend with.
“Another concern of CACOBAG is to guarantee a better future for Nigerians. Youths are said to be the future of Nigeria, the rate at which the youths ruin their lives and future through the use of hard drugs is now alarming, to the extent that teenagers, both boys and girls now engage in the destructive act.”
The NDLEA Chairman represented by Mrs. Ibiba Odili, the Commander of Narcotics, tasked parents to be very watchful over their children and how they can easily suspect when a child has started taking drugs.
