Following a sweeping raid by the Lagos State government, SUBAIR MOHAMMED follows up with the communities harbouring drug abusers in Lagos. His report:
AS the Lagos State government intensifies its war against drug and substance abuse, community leaders and professionals have come out with further revelations on what they called a new level of drug use among youths in the state.
The state government, through its enforcing agency, Lagos State Task Force on Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, recently conducted a crackdown on drug joints in the state, leading to a record arrest of 124 suspects.
While tireless deterrent raids have been promised by state officials, revelations from community leaders in most of the affected areas showed that the problem is now almost at an emergency stage, with more young people being caught in the web of illicit drug trade and abuse.
A rehabilitation facility has also spoken to an unprecedented level in youth involvement in drug, alcohol and substance abuse.
To curb this ugly trend across communities, CSP Adetayo Akerele’s task force combed targeted areas for suspected drug peddling, abuse and other criminal activities, leading to the sweeping arrests.
The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed that the raid was sequel to a Save Our Soul (SOS) received by the ministry from concerned residents in the Amikanle area of Agbado-Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area in Alimosho Local Government Area.
According to him, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, Colorado and several bottles of codeine syrup were also seized from suspects during the raid of identified black spot in the area.
‘Our community is a mess’
Reacting to the prevalence of drug use in his community, the CDC chairman in Agbado Oke-Odo, Mr Ernest Kasunmu, told Saturday Tribune that the rate of drug and substance abuse in the area is alarming.
According to him, suspected drug dealers and abusers in large numbers lurk around the White House Bus Stop in Ajasa Command, in Amikanle and Tunji Alaso.
While commending the Lagos State government on the recent raid of drug hubs in Amikanle area of the LCDA, he urged the Task Force to beam its flashlight on Tunji Alaso with special focus on idle and jobless youths.
He said: “The rate of substance abuse in Agbado Oke-Odo is now at an alarming rate. We have youths within the community lurking around abusing drugs. They are there at the White House Bus Stop in Ajasa Command. They are in Amikanle and Tunji Alaso. It takes the strong-willed to be able to walk through these areas. The CDC is doing its best to positively engage the younger ones, especially primary school pupils before they are lured into that destructive lifestyle.
“Drug addiction begins with idleness and joblessness of youths. Once they lack engagement and livelihood, many of them are bound to go into substance abuse and overdose. Also, some parents are responsible for their children going into drug addiction.
“Many teenagers engaged in drug addiction and their parents are aware of this but unfortunately, they are helpless. No responsible parents would feign ignorance of their son’s drug addiction because they know the kind of company their children keep.
“There are boys and girls among them but 80 per cent of the addicts are male. The female among them that are into substance abuse are not from the community. They are from outside Lagos State.
“Even the boys who are mainly okada riders and tricycle operators are tools in the hands of politicians. It is very difficult to get them off the substance once they are addicted to it but before they go into it, we ensure we engage them with positive pastimes.
“So, the raid by the Task Force is a step in the right direction but efforts still need to be made to flush out this drug menace totally from our communities.”
Kasunmu called attention to a more worrisome dimension to the plague.
He said: “This menace is not restricted to secondary schools and out-of-school children, primary school pupils also do drugs. They are seen by the roadside mixing herbal concoction with alcoholic substances.
“At the point Nigeria is, especially with the increasing rate of economic hardship, we have to start engaging the minds of the younger generation positively to save them from destruction.
“We have to shut down the supply chain and go after the dealers because the addicts are victims of uncontrolled supply of substances. Idleness is no excuse for going into drug and banditry but some politicians are culpable too. They supply them with drugs to get high.
“We have to start educating our youths, starting from the primary schools on the dangers inherent in drug abuse and addiction.
“In the olden days, at the children’s boarding school in Osogbo, we were engaged in literary and debating society and various sports. And by the time I got into secondary school, I was already representing the old Oyo State in the 70s and 80s in boxing.
“There was hardly any one of us that did not have one thing or the other doing but today, there are no recreation facilities for the young ones and in the absence of this, whenever the opportunity to gather at a spot presents itself, they recruit themselves into drug and other social vices.”
Lagos leading in drug abuse –Data
With 33 per cent prevalence rate, Lagos State is a hotbed of drug and substance abuse in the South West.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report in 2021, about 275 million people used drugs worldwide in the year under review, while over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders.
In Nigeria, however, the 2018 National Drug Use Survey revealed that about 14.3 million Nigerians used drugs.
Of the number, close to three million Nigerians reportedly suffer from drug use disorder with Lagos State occupying the first position in drug abuse in the South West.
In Lagos Mainland, a resident in the Ebute-Meta area, Sulaiman Ajadi, shared a similar distasteful state of affairs as expressed by Kasumu.
Ajadi expressed fear over the growing rate of drug addiction and abuse among youths in Thomas Street and Abe-Igi. According to him, the former incinerator plant which now serves as parking lot for LAWMA serves as a drug hub and shield for the addicts.
He said: “Until the Lagos State Waste Management Agency started using the incinerator plant as parking lot, the plant serves as shield for both male and female drug addicts. In fact, it not only serves as drug hub, they pass the night there sometimes.
“But today, they have turned the main gate that leads to Thomas Street to their base. At the spot, they smoke different kinds of drug, including Pawpaw, Colorado and Loud.
“Once they are drunk, they sleep on a bench placed beside the gate until they are conscious again. This is an eyesore for every resident, especially the teenagers. Thomas Street, Abe-Igi and Costain Under-Bridge are notorious spots for drug abuse in the district. So, I’m appealing to the state government and importantly, the NDLEA, to constantly raid communities across the state and ensure that drug abuse and sales among our youths are eradicated.”
‘10-year-olds now into drugs in Mushin’
In Mushin, a notorious suburb in the state, the tribe of addicts is reportedly growing and young users now start their day with the banned stuff.
Former General Secretary of the CDC in Mushin Local Government Area, Olusina Alade, told Saturday Tribune that in the past, hard drug use was restricted to Akala, a community known for drug and substance abuse. But today, he disclosed that the menace had spread to other areas like Mushin Olosha, LUTH Road, Oye Junction, along Isolo Road, off Olu Aina in Daleko, Oduduwa and Odo in Matori.
Alade said: “They are there drinking alcohol and sniffing cocaine. They don’t even care and law enforcement agents helplessly watch them.
“The same drug problem that Akala is known for is applicable to other areas in the Mushin metropolis. Some parents don’t care about the wellbeing of their children and some of the people you see abusing drug didn’t go to school and during school hours, they cool off at drug spots with alcohol.”
Speaking on how the communities sink deeper into the drug crisis, Alade said: “Peer pressure is another reason we have drug menace in Mushin. People between ages 10 and 20 are into drug and substance abuse. It involves both sexes but the percentage of male is higher. Orientation is very important to redirecting the minds of the youth that have become addicted to drugs.”
In proffering a way out, he said: “Government needs to sensitise the people because many of them are ignorant of the consequences of drug addiction. The school too must enlighten the pupils on the danger of drug abuse.
“The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have been docile for many years, they need to step up advocacy and enlightenment campaign. The rate of drug abuse in Mushin is alarming.
“As early as 7 o’clock in the morning, you will see young boys and adults taking hard drugs. Drug abuse was restricted to Akala but it has spread to other areas like Olosha, LUTH Road, Oye Junction along Isolo Road, off Olu Aina in Daleko, Oduduwa and Odo in Matori. It is spreading.”
What we know –Rehab manager
Advancing reasons for teenagers and young adults abusing alcohol and substances, a psychologist and facility manager at a rehabilitation home for alcohol and drug addicts, Alcohol and Drug Referral Services, Surulere, Mrs Itunu Onifade, identified peer pressure, dysfunctional homes and lack of connection between parents and children as the main factors responsible for the menace.
According to her, more than ever before, there is so much availability and invention of drugs in the society.
She said: “Primarily, one of the reasons youths go into drugs is peer pressure because they are at a point in their lives when they seek the opinions of others and the love of other peers and the influence that comes from parents.
“Generally, peers introduce them to substances. It also has an indirect cause because for a teenager to be influenced by his peers, that means he has a remote cause.
“Such a person lacks some coping skills. Sometimes peer pressure is also linked with low self-esteem and lack of coping mechanism. For you to really be pressured by peers, you have lacked some of life skills which can lead to peer pressure and peer pressure can lead to drug addiction.
“Also, some people have issues with depression and family issues and lack of connection between them and their parents.
“Some parents don’t understand their children and when the children get to school, they find solace in their friends. So, whatever their peers tell them, they adhere to.
“If the children are from dysfunctional homes where parents don’t connect with them, definitely, the people who are outside of the home and the school will have an upper hand in influencing them. But some people go to school and they are not influenced by peer pressure because the connection has been formed from home. These are some of what led the youth into drug addiction.
“In this time and season, more than ever before, there is so much availability of drugs in the society. Almost every day, drug abusers do dangerous combination and invention of drugs. The youth see ‘highness’ as a thing of pride. If you don’t get high on drug, you are not among the classy.
“The advent of modern technology is another factor. The social media platforms easily lure the youth to get into substance abuse. With the kind of singers and music they listen to, they are easily influenced into alcohol and drugs.
“You can imagine the kind of artistes they listen to. Artistes of questionable characters who are into substance abuse are role models to the young ones and the youth.
“Youths are curious to learn. At young ages, they want adventure. If their curiosity is not properly tamed and guided either by parents or mentors, they can get into substance abuse. Boys and girls are into substance abuse. However, to control these substances, regulatory agencies need to reduce outlets through which these substances are brought in.
“NDLEA is doing a great job with the way they are reducing the substances and the work of professionals like us needs to be commended. We are reducing the harms for those youths that have gone into substance abuse. We make sure that people that are on the verge of substance abuse are halted and we provide intervention for those that are already in it.
“Damage control is how we can control what has been damaged. It is in phases. At Alcohol and Drug Referral Services, we are case managers of alcohol and drug addiction. We help people come off addiction by assessing them and recommending different kinds of treatment plans.”
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