Drug abuse: Reps to empower NDLEA to establish rehabilitation centres nationwide

The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to empower the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to establish, maintain and operate drug abuse treatment, counselling and rehabilitation centres across Nigeria.

The private member bill, sponsored by Hon. Garba Mohammed, seeks to amend the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to provide for the restructuring, regulation and professional management of rehabilitation centres under the supervision of qualified medical practitioners.

Leading the debate on the bill, Hon. Mohammed said the proposed amendment was designed to strengthen treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration for persons dependent on, or affected by, the abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

He explained that the amendment would also align the functions of the Agency with contemporary public health principles and international drug control standards, ensuring that Nigeria’s response to substance abuse extends beyond enforcement and prosecution.

The lawmaker recalled that the NDLEA was established to combat the cultivation, production, trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, noting that the Agency had recorded significant successes in enforcement, seizures, arrests and prosecutions.

However, he observed that drug abuse had evolved into a serious public health and social challenge in Nigeria, particularly among young people and other vulnerable groups.

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According to him, the increasing prevalence of substance dependence had placed enormous pressure on families, communities, healthcare institutions and the criminal justice system, making a more comprehensive response necessary.

“While the current NDLEA Act focuses primarily on enforcement and prosecution, it does not provide a clear statutory framework for professionally managed treatment, counselling, and rehabilitation centres across the Federation. Existing rehabilitation efforts are fragmented, inconsistently regulated, and in many instances not under the supervision of qualified medical practitioners,” he said.

Hon. Mohammed further stressed that international approaches to drug control increasingly recognised the importance of combining law enforcement with medical treatment, psychological support and rehabilitation to achieve lasting recovery.

“Modern international drug control standards now emphasise a balanced approach that combines enforcement with treatment, counselling, and social reintegration. Drug dependence is widely recognised as a medical and psychological condition that requires structured, professional, and humane interventions,” he stressed.

He expressed optimism that the proposed legislation would empower the NDLEA to establish, maintain and operate treatment, counselling and rehabilitation centres in any part of the country, with each facility headed by a qualified medical practitioner.

He explained that the arrangement would promote professional management, improve treatment outcomes and provide structured support for the reintegration of persons recovering from drug dependence into society.

According to Hon. Mohammed, the central objective of the bill was to amend the existing NDLEA Act to give the Agency the statutory authority to operate rehabilitation facilities nationwide under appropriate medical supervision.

He added that the amendment would strengthen the legal framework for treatment and rehabilitation while bringing the Agency’s responsibilities into line with contemporary public health principles and international drug control standards.

Specifically, Clause 2 of the bill seeks to amend Section 3 of the principal Act by inserting a new subsection (3), empowering the NDLEA to establish, maintain and operate drug abuse treatment, counselling and rehabilitation centres across the Federation. Each centre would be headed by a qualified medical practitioner and provide medical treatment, psychological counselling and social reintegration services for affected persons.

Hon. Mohammed who maintained that Nigeria’s response to drug abuse must move beyond a predominantly punitive approach to one that integrates enforcement with treatment, counselling and rehabilitation, described the proposed amendment as legislation that “introduces a modern, humane, and medically grounded framework for addressing drug dependence and promoting social reintegration.”

He added: “The Bill will strengthen the institutional capacity of the NDLEA, improve recovery outcomes for affected persons, reduce drug-related crimes, and align Nigeria’s drug control framework with global best practices.”