Army chief raises alarm over drug abuse among frontline soldiers in North-East

Olufemi Oluyede, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has raised concerns over the growing cases of drug and substance abuse among junior and mid-level officers fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North-East.

Oluyede’s remarks were delivered on Thursday at a one-day joint security seminar in Maiduguri, Borno State, organised by Sinyinah Nicodemus, the Army’s Chief of Transformation and Innovation.

He was represented by Abdulsalam Abubakar, Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai.

The seminar, themed “Transformational Leadership and Nigerian Army Operational Effectiveness in a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment for Junior and Mid Cadre,” was designed for frontline officers regarded as the tactical backbone of military operations.

Oluyede stressed that junior and mid-level commanders play a crucial role in sustaining morale and preserving the fighting spirit of their troops.

But he warned that drug and substance abuse remained a major impediment to combat readiness, undermining the Army’s counterinsurgency efforts.

“Leadership is a critical component of combat power and remains central to the success of every military operation,” he said.

“I have also been informed that the issue of drug and substance abuse, one of the impediments to our combat readiness, will be addressed during this seminar, and I commend this initiative.”

He commended Nicodemus for convening the session and expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as “steadfast support and strategic guidance” to the Nigerian Army.

This is not the first time the Army has raised alarm over drug abuse within its ranks.

In June, Oluyede disclosed that the force was working to curb drug use among personnel, particularly those in combat, while opening a seminar on “Intensifying Warrior Ethos, PTSD and Drug Abuse” in Kontagora, Niger State.

Similarly, in 2023, his predecessor Taoreed Lagbaja also expressed concern over the prevalence of drug and substance abuse among soldiers deployed across various theatres of operation.

He said troops had to be sensitised on the dangers of drug use and on managing post-traumatic stress disorder to sustain combat effectiveness.