NDLEA Urges Transport Firms To Subject Drivers To Drug Tests

Rivers State commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmed Mamuda, has called on transport companies in the country to always submit their drivers to the agency for drug integrity tests.

Mamuda made the call while speaking at the flag-off of the 2024 Ember months road safety campaign, which was held at the Federal Secretariat complex in Port Harcourt.

The NDLEA boss, who was represented by the deputy commander of narcotics, Suleiman Ibrahim, also called on members of the public to report any driver, who they notice to be ‘under the influence’, to the agency so that such driver could under counselling.

He said: “Research has shown that alcohol, drug abuse, excess speed and overloading are easy causes of road accidents in Nigeria. However, drug abuse remains a significant contributor to these statistics. A review showed that most accidents occur due to drug abuse and alcoholic indulgence on the part of drivers.

“To the transport companies, the question is, how many of these your drivers have you submitted to NDLEA for drug integrity test? There is what we call drug integrity test in the NDLEA.

“We encourage members of the public, once they notice such kind of drivers who are under the influence, to report. When they come, we can counsel them. Do you know that if you take cannabis sativa, even if it is more than three months, we will know when we check your system.”

In his remarks, chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Tamunokuro Diamond, expressed regrets that majority of the highways in the country are littered with mortuaries instead of clinics that could handle emergency situations like road accidents.