A coalition of student-focused groups under the banner of Coalition of Northern Groups Student’s Win (CNG-SW), Adamawa Chapter, has cautioned students against Drug abuse and thuggery, describing them as major drivers of crime and campus instability.
The warning was issued on Saturday during a one-day public lecture organised by the coalition in Yola, Adamawa State.
Speaking at the event, the Adamawa State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, said Drug abuse remained the backbone of virtually all criminal activities in society.
Aliyu, who was represented by Mr. Aliyu Ajiya, commended the organisers for the initiative and urged students to shun Drug abuse in order to achieve personal success and promote a peaceful society.
The lecture, themed “Building Responsible Students’ Leadership: Combating Drug Abuse, Thuggery, Hate Speech and Campus Disunity Through Positive Values and Mentorship,” focused on value reorientation and leadership development among students.
According to the NDLEA commander, Drug abuse fuels thuggery, violence, tension and other negative behaviours on campuses and in the wider society.
Also speaking, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Adamawa State Police Command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, urged students to avoid thuggery and gangsterism.
Nguroje, represented by ASP Abdullahi Isah, warned that involvement in such crimes often ends in regret, loss of lives and destruction of property. He said the police command had intensified community policing and other strategies to reduce crime in the state.
Chairman of the occasion and Executive Director of DADAH Foundation for Education Empowerment, Mr. Usman Ahmed-Dada, called on students to internalise the key lessons from the lecture to secure their future and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Ahmed-Dada stressed the importance of organising similar engagements across the country, especially as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, noting that peace and responsible youth behaviour are critical to democratic stability.
“The lecture is timely and appropriate. Students must avoid Drug abuse, campus crises, thuggery, religious bigotry and other social vices undermining our institutions,” he said.
In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the coalition, Mr. Jamilu Charanchi, said the lecture was aimed at reshaping values, character and responsibility among students, regardless of background or differences.
He identified Drug abuse as the root cause of most social vices and called for collective action to curb the menace.
“Campuses are not only centres for academics. They are grooming grounds for future leaders who must be equipped with sound character and values to move the country forward,” Charanchi said.
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