Senator Accuses Colleagues of Drug Abuse in Heated Assembly Session
Tensions escalated in the National Assembly on Tuesday when Senator Kawu Sumaila (Kano South) made shocking allegations about his fellow lawmakers, claiming that many are involved in drug abuse while executing their official responsibilities.
During a discussion on a proposed Bill to create the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, Sumaila asserted that numerous senators have hard drugs stored in their constituency offices and homes. He further alleged that several senators maintain ties with drug dealers.
These serious accusations are likely to provoke ongoing debate and scrutiny within the legislature.
Sumaila stated, “Right now, if you visit most of our constituency offices and homes, you’ll discover a significant presence of drugs and drug dealers operating from those places.”
He also claimed that certain senior political figures are complicit in supporting drug dealers in their illegal activities.
“I can identify political leaders who are, in various ways, aiding drug dealers in Nigeria. Mr. President, we must take this seriously,” he said. “If we are to address this issue, we need to confront it directly and unite in the fight against it. I propose we conduct drug tests to determine who is involved.”
Sumaila urged his colleagues to affirm, using sacred texts, that they have not contributed to drug abuse during their election campaigns.
“Let’s reflect on our campaigns and our interactions with the youth. How many of us can genuinely swear, using the Quran or Bible, that we have not supported drug abusers in our constituencies?” he asked.
He proposed mandatory drug testing for all politicians before they can run for office or assume their positions.
“Whether we establish this new agency or enhance the NDLEA’s capabilities, we must ensure that all candidates undergo drug testing before elections,” he said.
Sumaila emphasized that the true goal of the proposed legislation cannot be realized without collaboration among all stakeholders to combat drug abuse in the country.
“We need to seriously consider how to move forward. Regardless of our religious beliefs, drug abuse is condemned. Yet, we must ask: who is facilitating and supporting it?” he remarked.
In response, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who chaired the session, ruled Sumaila out of order, stating that his comments strayed from the relevant topic of the bill.
“Order 56 mandates that all contributions must pertain directly to the motion or bill being discussed. Therefore, I must rule you out of order,” Barau concluded.
