A Nigerian Senator, Kawu Sumaila, has called for mandatory drug tests for politicians before they can run for elections or take up political positions.
The Kano South Senator Kawu Sumaila said this during plenary on Tuesday while contributing to the debate on a Bill to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation.
“As I am speaking now, most of our offices in our constituencies, most of our political offices in our constituencies, most of our houses, when you go there, you will find out that there is a mountain of drugs and there are drug dealers in our offices and in our houses. All in our houses,” he said.
“And, Mr President, we need…whether we are allowing this bill to continue to have an agency or we are strengthening NDLEA, we need to create a situation where before contesting elections, or before taking a debate, at whatever in government, at government level, you must go for a drug test.”
The senator said the country will not achieve the essence of the bill until the upper chamber collaborates with relevant stakeholders to stop drug abuse in the country.
“Mr President, there is one aspect which we need to look into. Whether we created this agency, whether we strengthen the activities of NDLEA, we need to do something. We, as politicians, we, as leaders in this country, we, as stakeholders, we need to do a lot.
“We all believe that religiously, both Islam and Christianity, even in our traditional religion, drugs-related abuse or drug abuse is prohibited. But, who and who are encouraging and who and who are supporting it?
“Mr President, we cannot achieve the result, we cannot achieve the intent of this bill unless and until we all agree that we will put our heads together with relevant stakeholders to stop drug abuse in Nigeria,” Mr Sumaila added.
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