The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has sensitised personnel of 2 Division, Nigerian Army, on drug abuse and its implications for operational effectiveness, discipline and national security.
The sensitisation lecture, titled “From Barracks to Battle Life”, was held on 10 September 2026 at the 2 Division Headquarters Auditorium, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director, 2 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma.
READ ALSO: Oyo Security Network, NDLEA Partner to Tackle Drug Abuse
In his opening remarks, the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, represented by the Commander, 52 Signal Brigade, Brigadier General Danlami Ali, urged personnel to pay attention to the lecture and apply the knowledge gained.
Mahmuda stressed the importance of discipline and warned personnel against prohibited substances, self-medication and involvement in illicit drug activities.
He advised personnel experiencing health challenges to seek appropriate medical attention, adding that involvement in substance abuse would attract sanctions in accordance with extant regulations.
Delivering the lecture, an NDLEA resource person, Assistant Controller of Narcotics Mercy Titilayo Godwin, described drug abuse as the non-medical, excessive or prohibited use of drugs and said it had implications for national security.
She identified cannabis, alcohol, opioids, cocaine and amphetamines among substances commonly misused, noting that drug misuse could impair coordination, judgement, risk assessment and tactical decision-making.
According to Godwin, substance misuse could also affect discipline, teamwork and unit cohesion.
She identified combat stress, performance pressure, social and environmental factors and chronic pain among factors that could contribute to drug misuse.
Godwin recommended measures including random drug testing, professional counselling, rehabilitation, healthy coping mechanisms and effective leadership to address substance misuse.
The lecture concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants sought clarification on drug abuse, prevention and measures for addressing substance-related challenges.
