By Chioma Iruke
Former Chairman of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mrs Farida Waziri, has suggested that drug tests should be included as one of the criteria for people nominated for national honours and awards.
Waziri who said this over the weekend in Abuja, said the drug tests would be in line with the current war against drug abuse launched by the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari on June 26, 2021.
“As a member of this noble national honours award committee, I will be calling for the use of drug integrity tests as part of the screening process for those to be considered for the honours award. That way, we will be extending the deterrence frontiers of the drug war because it has to cover all age brackets and social strata,” she said.
Waziri added that there is need to emphasize patriotism in the country, as the security challenges facing the country would make anybody conclude that another hostile nation had invaded Nigeria.
“However, it is shocking that the majority of those behind these problems are Nigerians. This must stop and we all must learn to be patriotic in the interest of the nation,’’ she added.
Waziri was inaugurated as a member of the National Honours Award Committee on Thursday in Abuja. The committee members are to screen and select eminent Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, who have contributed to the development of the country.
