The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it had recorded some achievements in its war against abuse of narcotic substances, especially with the cooperation of sub-nationals.

The agency’s spokesman Femi Babafemi said some state governments across the country have embraced NDLEA’s advocacy to make drug tests mandatory for appointees and employees.

Babafemi said this yesterday on a national television programme.

He said: “It’s an advocacy move, and that has been going on since 2021. Quite a number of state governments are already making this a policy in their states to ensure that whoever goes for an elective position or whoever is appointed to the state government undergoes drug tests. That is going on.

“Like I said, it’s an advocacy move; it’s not a law. All we can do is to encourage the various stakeholders to buy into this.”

Babafemi said some politicians had been prosecuted for involvement in illicit hard drugs.

“In the last four years, from our record, about 65 barons, including former public office holders had been arrested, prosecuted and convicted without mentioning anybody’s name to stigmatise them,” he said.

The NDLEA spokesman said some of those arrested and prosecuted by the Buba Marwa-led agency had “held offices, may be at the level of the local government chairmanship position. Even as I speak, we still have quite a number of high-profile persons who are undergoing prosecution”.

According to him, beyond being a policy for political positions, employers and tertiary institutions have also embraced drug tests as part of their screening process to admit new talents.

Babafemi said: “This is going on, not only at the level of politics or those seeking employment, but also at the level of our young ones – those going into tertiary institutions – to ensure that they also undergo this test.”