Reading time:4 min read
Experts Urge Students to Abstain from Drug Abuse, Stay Out of Legal Trouble
Jamiu Abass
May 05, 2026Experts have urged students to stay away from all forms of drug and substance abuse to protect their mental health, while also urging them to remain informed of their legal responsibilities to avoid running afoul of the law.
The call came during a joint seminar organised by the Hospital Visitation Committee (HVC) and the Correctional Service Visitation Committee (CSVC) of the Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria, University of Ibadan (MSSNUI).
The seminar, themed "Sweet Escape", was held on Sunday, 3rd May, 2026, at the Faculty of Pharmacy Auditorium, University of Ibadan.
Prof. Abdulfatai Adekunle Owodunni of the Department of Counselling and Human Development Studies, University of Ibadan, who was the first speaker, noted that generational disparity has affected MSSN, adding that there is a lot to be done to bring it back to where it was.
He said that a true believer must surrender to Allah before he or she can be blessed upon their efforts.
The professor emphasised that a drug is different from medication, describing it as a substance consumed knowingly or unknowingly that causes harm to human well-being.
He warned that once it becomes habitual, it develops into a pattern that cannot be easily dropped.
He also noted that a healthy brain requires about seven hours of rest, and that an overstressed brain sends bad signals to the body, urging students to take adequate rest rather than overstressing their brains with reading.
The professor further noted that peer pressure is a forceful compulsion to do something, while peer influence is the personal desire to do something, adding that a person is less likely to fall into bad influence when not in the company of bad friends.
The second speaker, Dr. Abdul-Rahman Olayinka Olayiwola, a retired Assistant Comptroller and former Officer-in-Charge of the Agodi Custodial Centre, Ibadan, stated that the effects of drug abuse are long-term, describing it as something trending among today's youth.
He described a drug as a chemical substance taken into the body through any means, noting that it is sometimes taken as part of cultural and religious practice, and that it has both positive and negative side effects, with some people taking it to cope with personal problems and difficulties.
Dr. Olayiwola explained that the NDLEA is the only body empowered to prosecute drug traffickers under Nigerian law, adding that drug abusers are not prosecuted unless they commit an offence under the influence of drugs or are found with exhibits.
He also noted that women are mostly used for drug trafficking because of their higher tendency to move freely.
The physical effects of drug abuse, he said, include redness of the eyes, loss of appetite, extreme weight loss, restlessness, dry mouth, dental problems, and difficulty in breathing.
He also linked drug abuse to a high rate of armed robbery, kidnapping, reduction in the workforce, and increased domestic violence in the society, adding that 90 percent of criminals and offenders engage in drug abuse.
He emphasised that drug abuse can be addressed through detoxification and psychosocial counselling, and urged students to think ahead about what will benefit them in the future as Muslims, rather than engaging in drug abuse and risking ending up behind bars.
The seminar also featured a speech delivered by the MSSNUI General Secretary, Rosheed Fagbenro, on behalf of the Ameer, as well as addresses by the chairmen of the organising committees, HVC Chairman Isiaq Olabiyi and CSVC Chairman Usman Osuolale.