Brigadier-General B.O. Omopariola, Commander of the 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Katsina, has dismissed the belief that soldiers need hard drugs to perform well, calling it a “stupid” assumption.
He made the remarks in Katsina over the weekend during a lecture titled “Drug-Free Workplace and Community,” held as part of the 2025 Army Day Celebration.
The event featured officers from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who educated personnel on the dangers of drug abuse.
Omopariola noted that his brigade has successfully conducted numerous anti-banditry operations based on training and professionalism, not through drug use.
“The assumption that soldiers need weed to perform is stupid. Don’t bring that nonsense to me,” he said.
“Even though we are not drug law enforcement agents, we are duty-bound to ensure compliance in our formations. We have carried out many successful operations without weed.
“Any soldier claiming otherwise should be sent for counselling and treatment, and if that fails, charge the idiot,” he added.
Earlier, Assistant Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA Katsina Command, Zainab Isah Ibrahim, addressed participants on the wide-ranging consequences of drug abuse-physically, psychologically, socially, and economically.
