Government Plans NIS Deployment in Universities to Combat Drug Abuse.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has suggested redeploying National Intelligence Service (NIS) officers in universities as part of efforts to combat the escalating drug and substance abuse crisis among students.
He emphasized that intelligence officers could play a crucial role in monitoring and mitigating illegal activities within higher learning institutions.
His remarks came on Thursday, February 13, during the release of a report by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse (NACADA) on the state of drug and substance abuse in Kenyan universities.
The report highlighted the widespread accessibility of drugs and alcohol among students, with cannabis and alcohol ranking as the most commonly available substances.
Murkomen recalled that, in the past, intelligence officers were embedded in universities under disguise, actively working to curb illicit activities.
He urged Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to reinstate this strategy, ensuring intelligence officers collaborate with university administrators, law enforcement agencies, and students to address the worsening drug problem.
Beyond surveillance, Murkomen expressed concern over students overstaying in universities due to drug-related issues. He noted that some students, initially enrolled in four-year programs, have ended up extending their studies to seven years.
Additionally, he raised alarm over the presence of financially affluent students engaged in questionable businesses within universities, emphasizing the need to dismantle such networks.
In response to the crisis, Murkomen has instructed the Inspector General of Police to strengthen security around major universities, particularly in Nairobi, Rongai, and Kenyatta University.
He stressed the necessity of inter-agency cooperation to integrate intelligence gathering and investigative efforts, ensuring a more effective crackdown on drug-related crimes.
Echoing Murkomen’s stance, Inspector General Douglas Kanja disclosed that the government is considering incorporating anti-drug operations within the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) to enhance enforcement measures.
The NACADA report further revealed that alcohol is the most accessible substance among university students, with an availability rate of 87.3 percent.
Read Also: Study Finds Lecturers Among Leading Drug Suppliers in Universities
Alarmingly, it also uncovered that some lecturers and non-teaching staff are complicit in supplying drugs to students, worsening the cycle of substance abuse within institutions of higher learning.
These findings underscore the urgency of implementing stricter law enforcement measures and intelligence-led interventions to address the growing drug menace in universities.
Government Plans NIS Deployment in Universities to Combat Drug Abuse
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