A Nigerian lawmaker, Senator Kawu Sumaila (Kano South), has made a startling accusation against his colleagues, claiming that hard drugs are being used and distributed in areas under their control, including their homes and offices.
Sumaila made this assertion during a plenary session on Tuesday while contributing to the debate on a Bill to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation.
Speaking candidly, the senator alleged that drug abuse and illegal drug dealings have infiltrated political offices, including those belonging to lawmakers.
“As I am speaking now, most of our offices in our constituencies, most of our political offices in our constituencies, most of our houses, when you go there, you will find out that there is a mountain of drugs and there are drug dealers in our offices and in our houses. All in our houses,” he said.
Sumaila, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), further accused some senior political figures of supporting drug dealers.
“I can take you to some of the political leaders who are in so many ways contributing or supporting drug abusers in Nigeria. Therefore, Mr President, we need to be serious,” he added.
In a bold move, the senator suggested that some lawmakers themselves might be using hard drugs and called for a drug test among them.
“If we are talking, we need to understand, we are all one here. We need to fight it from our own side. We need to be serious. Let us go to the test and see who and who are not,” he proposed.
He also dared his colleagues to swear on religious texts, claiming that many have encouraged drug abuse during their political campaigns.
“Let us ask ourselves during our campaign, what are we doing with the so-called youth? How many of us can swear with Qur’an or Bible that, in any way, they are not supporting drug abusers in their constituency?” Sumaila challenged.
The senator’s remarks come amid long-standing concerns about the use of unemployed youths and thugs by politicians during campaigns, often fueled by drug abuse. He advocated for mandatory drug tests for politicians before they contest elections or assume office.
“We need to create a situation where before contesting elections, or before taking a debate, at whatever in government, at government level, you must go for a drug test,” Sumaila urged.
Although he did not name specific individuals, the senator emphasized that without collaboration among politicians and relevant stakeholders, Nigeria would not be able to tackle the drug abuse crisis.
“We cannot achieve the result, we cannot achieve the intent of this bill unless and until we all agree that we will put our heads together with relevant stakeholders to stop drug abuse in Nigeria,” he said.
However, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, ruled Sumaila out of order, stating that his comments were not relevant to the bill under debate.
“While we are speaking, while we are contributing, our contribution should be relevant to the subject matter. In this case, your contribution is not relevant to the subject matter. I therefore rule out of order,” Jibrin said.
Sumaila’s explosive claims are likely to stir further discussion on the influence of drug abuse within Nigeria’s political landscape.