Army: Military barracks are drug free, soldiers don’t need weeds to perform

The Commander of 17 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Katsina, Brigadier General Baba Tunde Omoparioala, has declared that military barracks under his command are drug-free, stressing that soldiers do not need marijuana, narcotics, or any form of drug to effectively carry out their duties.

Speaking in Katsina during a lecture titled “Drug-Free Workplace and Community” organized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as part of activities marking the 2025 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL), the General dismissed the widespread misconception that drug use enhances combat performance.

“Are we not fearless? Are we not bold? Why should a soldier claim he needs weed to function? That’s nonsense,” Omoparioala said. “One of them told me, ‘Sir, I need weed to perform.’ I replied, ‘Don’t try that nonsense with me. If you need drugs to function, why were you trained as a soldier?’”

He emphasised that discipline, training, and values, not drugs—make an effective soldier. “We’ve conducted countless successful operations without weed. Any soldier claiming otherwise should be sent for counseling and treatment. If that fails, charge him. We cannot be afraid to confront this menace.”

The commander also urged military officers to uphold the law, saying, “If you’re afraid of your men, you have no business leading them.”

Assistant Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA, Zainab Ibrahim, who delivered the keynote lecture, linked drug abuse to terrorism, banditry, and violent crimes. “No one beheads another human being without being high. No sane person does that,” she stated.

She warned that drug addiction destroys individuals, families, and institutions, and rejected the excuse that unemployment justifies substance abuse. “Being idle is no reason to become intoxicated,” she said.