Kwara State government has withdrawn the appointment of eight teachers for failing drug tests conducted for them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
They were among the 1,800 newly selected for teaching jobs by the state Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).
The Commission had invited the NDLEA to conduct drug tests for the newly recruited teachers to determine their moral suitability for the job.
The drug test was conducted on them from 9 to 12 April 2025.
TESCOM had selected them for the teaching jobs after a rigorous three-month recruitment exercise.
However, the commission, on Monday in Ilorin, announced that eight of the teachers have been dropped for testing positive for banned substances.
The Chairman of TESCOM, Bello Taoheed Abubakar, announced the decision in a statement in Ilorin on Monday.
He said the eight teachers tested positive for hard drugs, including tramadol, marijuana, amphetamine, benzodiazepine, and cotinine – substances considered dangerous and outlawed under Nigerian drug laws.
Abubakar confirmed that the drug tests were conducted in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), with full backing of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
He said: “This exercise is a clear message that the Kwara State Government has zero tolerance for drug abuse, especially in our schools.
“We cannot afford to expose schoolchildren to individuals struggling with drug issues.
“Our priority is the safety and well-being of our pupils.”
He explained that the affected candidates would be replaced with the next best-performing applicants from their respective local government areas, in line with the government’s commitment to fairness and merit.
Abubakar praised the governor’s stance on transparent and merit-based recruitment into the education sector.
“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has once again demonstrated his commitment to quality education and equal opportunity for all Kwarans. His insistence on due process continues to strengthen public confidence in government-led recruitment efforts,” he said.
