The Commander of 17 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Katsina, Brigadier General Baba Tunde Omoparioala, has stated that military barracks under his command are drug-free.

Speaking in Katsina during a lecture titled Drug-Free Workplace and Community,” organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the General boasted that his soldiers do not need marijuana, narcotics, or any form of drug to properly carry out their duties.

He dismissed the widespread misconception that drug use enhances combat performance.

Omoparioala said, “Are we not fearless? Are we not bold? Why should a soldier claim he needs weed to function? That’s nonsense.

“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 counselling and treatment. If that fails, charge him. We cannot be afraid to confront this menace,” he added.

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.