For some students at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), drug-abuse prevention may be happening somewhere on campus—but not necessarily where they can see or hear it.

The university says it organises awareness campaigns, incorporates drug-abuse prevention into student orientations and works with relevant agencies to address substance abuse. Yet interviews with several students reveal a different reality: some said they were unaware of any university-led drug-abuse campaign and had never attended a drug-awareness programme.

The contrast raises a question that goes beyond whether awareness campaigns are being organised: are the messages actually reaching the students they are intended to protect?

As concerns about substance abuse continue to attract attention in tertiary institutions, this feature examines UNIMAID’s prevention efforts, students’ awareness of them and the challenges facing attempts to keep drug abuse from taking root on campus.

Awareness among students

Prince Goodness Onwuasoigwe, an MBBS student, said he was not aware of any drug-abuse prevention programme or campaign organised by UNIMAID.

Onwuasoigwe  also said he had never attended a drug-awareness seminar, workshop or orientation organised by the university.

In a similar account, Adede Innocent, a Law student,  said he was not aware of any drug-abuse prevention programmes or campaigns organised by the university and had never attended a drug-awareness seminar, workshop or orientation.

Patricia Lawrence, a 400-level Computer Science student, also said she was not aware of drug-abuse cases or awareness campaigns concerning their prevention on campus.

Their responses do not establish that UNIMAID does not organise such programmes. Instead, they point to a possible communication and participation gap between the university’s prevention activities and the students who are expected to benefit from them.

Concerns

For Abigail Ijai Ijapari, a Mass Communication student, substance abuse is an issue that deserves attention on campus.

The student said she has not personally witnessed anyone taking hard drugs but has observed what she considers possible signs of substance use.

“When I pass through the B Block area on my way to class or when I am going for night reading, I sometimes perceive the smell of cigarette smoke,” she said.

Sometimes, according to her, she sees cigarette sachets or empty sachets around the area.

These observations, however, do not independently establish that illegal drugs are being used in B Block.

Abigail said she was aware of efforts to educate young people about substance abuse, including the Youth Against Substance Abuse (YASA) programme, a year-long programme that ended in October 2024.

According to the information she provided, the programme was organised by the North East Development Commission in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Castel Wings Global Services and A New Thing International Foundation.

Its closing event was held at El-Kanemi Hall, University of Maiduguri, where more than 180 young people were trained as substance-abuse prevention ambassadors.

According to her,  the NDLEA conducts sensitisation programmes for young people and students in tertiary institutions.

However, she admitted not to have  personally participated in such programmes recently.

University confirms drug-abuse cases

Mohammed Nuhu Alkali, Desk Officer of the Student Affairs Division, confirmed that drug-abuse cases occur on campus.

According to Alkali, university security personnel monitor the campus and identify students suspected of involvement in drug use and abuse.

When such cases are reported to Student Affairs, he said, students may be referred to the Guidance and Counselling Unit, while students considered to be addicted may sometimes be referred to the NDLEA.

Alkali also said there is an NDLEA representative on campus and that the agency sometimes organises drug-abuse awareness campaigns.

He said the university itself organises awareness campaigns, particularly at the beginning of academic sessions.

Drug-abuse prevention is also incorporated into the orientation of new students, he said, with the Vice-Chancellor advising students to shun anti-social behaviour and drug abuse.

Security measures and alleged campus hideouts

Alkali said university security personnel have increased surveillance in areas where drug use had previously been a concern.

He identified C Block, a male hostel, as an area that had previously been considered a hideout for drug abusers.

According to him, the university has become more concerned about the problem and has deployed security personnel to such locations.

He said students involved in drug abuse are now being monitored more closely.

However, these claims could not independently establish the extent of drug activity in C Block, and no figures on the number of cases detected there were provided.

What happens when students are caught?

The university’s response, according to Alkali, involves both disciplinary and rehabilitative measures, adding that disciplinary policies against drug abuse exist on campus.

Once a case is reported, Student Affairs normally writes to the Vice-Chancellor and recommends that the student be referred to the disciplinary committee.

For a first-time offender, Alkali said the student may instead be referred to the counselling unit, while students considered addicted may be referred to the NDLEA.

This suggests that the university’s response is not limited to punishment but also includes counselling and possible referral for further intervention.

Attendance as a challenge

Despite the university’s reported awareness campaigns, Alkali acknowledged that getting students to attend them is a challenge.

He said students often show little interest when circulars are issued announcing awareness programmes.

“You know students,” he said, explaining that turnout is often poor when students are invited to attend such events, while examinations receive much greater attention.

To address this, he said Student Affairs has been collaborating with the Students’ Union Government to disseminate information during the first semester.

“Drug-abuse awareness is also being incorporated into orientations organised by departments and faculties,” he said.

The strategy is intended to reach students through programmes they are more likely to attend.

The handbook students may not be accessing

Another channel for communicating university rules is the student handbook.

Alkali said every student is supposed to receive the university handbook at the beginning of each academic session.

The handbook contains information on various aspects of student life, including disciplinary policies concerning drug abuse, noting, however, that  many students do not come forward to collect it.

The Student Affairs Division is therefore advising university management to make the handbook available online through students’ portals so that students can access the information electronically.

NDLEA raises concerns

Adam Abduljabbar Ibrahim, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics I with the NDLEA, said substance abuse in tertiary institutions is a serious concern.

“The rate of substance abuse in Tertiary Institutions is quite alarming,” he said.

According to Ibrahim, students across different genders, age groups, tribes and courses of study are involved in substance abuse.

He identified limited education and awareness about the effects of drug abuse as one of the factors contributing to the problem.

Among the substances he identified as commonly abused by students were Cannabis Sativa, including varieties known as Indian hemp, Arizona, Loud and Canadian Loud; psychotropic substances such as Tramadol and Rohypnol; and methamphetamine, commonly known as Ice.

UNIMAID, NDLEA collaborate

Ibrahim said the NDLEA has maintained a relationship with UNIMAID through research and awareness activities.

He recalled that Kanem Radio had previously provided airtime for NDLEA officers to educate the university community about the negative effects of substance abuse.

Through the programmes, he said, students could listen to the presentations and call in with questions.

He also said the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse had previously been marked at Ndimi Hall, where critical stakeholders made presentations.

According to Ibrahim, continuous sensitisation and awareness programmes have had positive effects on some people.

He also pointed to urine-drug testing being introduced in some universities, citing Borno State University and Al-Ansar University as examples.

He said such measures, alongside awareness, had contributed to some people quitting or reducing their substance use.

NDLEA identifies challenges

However, the anti-drug campaign faces its own challenges.

Ibrahim identified limited resources as one of the major obstacles to conducting campaigns regularly.

He also said some students prioritise their departmental courses and ignore other programmes, particularly those not imposed by university authorities.

Another challenge, he said, is bureaucracy within universities, which can sometimes slow down decision-making and hinder NDLEA activities.

These challenges closely mirror the university’s own admission that student attendance at awareness programmes is often poor.

The awareness gap

The accounts gathered reveal a striking contrast.

The Student Affairs Division says UNIMAID organises drug-abuse awareness campaigns, incorporates prevention messages into orientations, collaborates with the NDLEA and provides counselling and disciplinary mechanisms for reported cases.

Yet many students said they were unaware of such programmes and had never attended a university drug-awareness event.

Some students like Abigail, who was aware of wider substance-abuse prevention efforts, said she had not personally participated in such programmes recently.

The evidence does not establish that UNIMAID’s awareness campaigns do not exist.

Instead, it raises a more important question: how effectively are those campaigns reaching students?

Beyond awareness

The interviews also suggest that drug abuse cannot be addressed solely through campaigns.

Prince identified peer pressure, financial difficulties, family problems and educational pressures as factors that could influence students’ decisions to use drugs.

That means prevention may require not only awareness but also stronger student support systems, early intervention and accessible counselling.

For students already struggling with substance abuse, a purely disciplinary response may not address the circumstances that contributed to their drug use.

UNIMAID’s existing referral system, which includes counselling and possible referral to NDLEA, provides a framework for intervention.

But the effectiveness of such a system ultimately depends on whether students know the services exist and are willing to use them.

The university says programmes exist, but the students insist  awareness is limited.

The NDLEA says inadequate resources, poor attendance and bureaucratic delays can hinder prevention efforts.

Together, the accounts point to a problem that goes beyond whether a campaign is organised.

The real test is whether the message reaches students before experimentation becomes dependence, and whether those already affected can access help without fear.

For UNIMAID, the fight against drug abuse may therefore require more than organising awareness campaigns.

It may require making those campaigns more visible, improving student participation, expanding access to counselling and ensuring that information about prevention and disciplinary policies reaches every student.

Until then, the question remains: if the programmes are there, how many students actually know about them?

(Amos Williams Peter is a student journalist at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.)