Why Illicit Drug Centers Have Continued To Thrive In Aba

By Chimezie Umunnakwe

Consumption and trafficking in hard drugs have been on the increase globally and have become a public health issue.

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa is not immune from the menace as it has had her fair share of this self-inflicted challenge.

Nigeria is currently occupying an unenviable position among the centres for hard drug usage and trafficking.

According to a 2018 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, tagged "Drug use in NigeriaÔÇØ, one in seven persons between the ages of 15 and 64 had used a drug the previous year.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also painted a similar picture. In its 2018 report, the agency said that over 14.3 million Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64 use hard drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, heroine among others.

The impact of using illicit drug is huge on society and the battered nation's economy. Consumption of hard drugs is linked to most of the violent crimes perpetrated by youths and young adults.

These crimes have been on the increase making Nigeria to be ranked among the unsafe places or countries in the world as far as armed robbery, kidnapping and banditry which have become booming businesses in the country are concerned.

Aba, the commercial nerve center of Abia state is not exempted because, Apart from its commercial status, it is among the centers where hard drugs are used in Nigeria.

This may be attributed to the position of Abia State as it shares common boundaries with 7 states of the country, namely Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu and Rivers States.

The geographical location of Abia State and the long years of abandonment of some areas in Aba, has made the prestigious Enyimba City a consuming and trafficking den for hard drugs.

There are too many Illicit drug centers within the Aba main town and on the outskirts of the city, with most existing within neighborhoods where children see, watch and emulate the practice.

Some of the places are Onyebuchi street, off Ngwa road, School Road Primary School, City Primary School, off Railway Halt, Railway Avenue by Nwogu street, off Uratta road, the back fence of Wilcox Memorial Secondary School, Ogbor hill Abaand Aba Railway Terminal, off Nigeria Breweries.

Others are Orji Uzor Kalu bridge, Milverton Avenue, Golf Course Primary School, Cameroon Barracks Primary School, Black Kingdom, Ariaria, Abattoir at Old Express road and Omuma road Primary School off Apostolic Church, by Railway and uncompleted building beside Ifeobara pond along Faulks road.

Mr. Victor Nwaugo, an Aba based lawyer said the illicit drug centers have continued to flourish because of the good patronage they are enjoying from the public,especially the youths including security agents.

Nwaugo alleged that the drug dealers have remained in business because of the support and cooperation they are receiving from corrupt security agents through the collection of money known in local parlance as "titheÔÇØ from the dealers.

He said, "What led to the Oko Jumbo/Ntueke crisis in the Ngwa road area sometime ago was a drug war. Police have taken the responsibility of given the dealers cover on an understanding of bringing daily returns.

"On a particular day, the Police, after collecting the agreed sum decided to mount a check point adjacent to the drug center to prevent users from patronizing the dealers.

"This, consequently led to the killing of a Police man and a driver. On its part, the Police retaliated by razing down some houses in the area."

Mr. Paschal Onyeagu who is also a legal practitioner lamented that the country is sitting on a keg of gun powder as a result of the menace.

He noted that the end users and society are the worst hit in terms of increasing crime rate, while the barons smile to the banks.

"I have seen some law enforcement agents visiting the centers where these hard drugs are sold. They go there to collect money known as "titheÔÇØ from the dealers.

"Unfortunately, the law enforcement agents like the Police visit the centers with their operational vehicles and patronize them on the process. That is one of the reasons the illicit drug centers have continued to thrive," he said.

As a panacea to the use of illicit drug, Nwaugo called for the scrapping of the National Youth Service Scheme.

According to him, the one year mandatory service for fresh Nigerian graduates which was aimed at reintegrating the youths of the country after the Nigeria/Biafra war has failed to achieve the anticipated result.

"Instead of wasting one year under the guise of serving ones fatherland, it should be used for skill acquisition. Universities should have skill acquisition centers and graduates should learn a skill.

"That money that should have been paid during the one year should be given to the graduates to enable him/her to establish a business.

"This will reduce high unemployment level to the barest minimum. If a young man graduates from the University without a job for some years, he may take to drugs because an idle mind is the devil's workshop."

All efforts made to get the opinion of the Abia State Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Bamidele Akingbade on the issue failed. END