GETTING HIGH ON LIZARD DUNG
All critical stakeholders must do more to stem the drug scourge
In a shocking revelation about the nature of social problems in Nigeria today, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed last week that many young people in Borno State have resorted to drinking fermented human urine, preserved over 10 days, as an alternative to hard drugs. According to the NDLEA Commander for the state, Iliyasu Mani, these deviants also mix other unconventional substances such as lizard dung, camel urine, and methylated spirit with soft drinks in a bid to be ‘high.’ Mani added, however, that “we must not lose hope as the agency has strengthened its efforts towards prevention strategy through the establishment of remodeled counselling/rehab centre within the premises of Borno State Command.”
But critical stakeholders must be concerned. Reports abound of frustrated and unemployed young people resorting to many of these street habits for their momentary relaxing and euphoric effects. Some put their heads on toilets to inhale the smell which is said to have the same effect. But besides these weird and unhealthy methods of getting the brain excited, the country has an exceptionally high prevalence of substance abuse. Hard drugs, ranging from cannabis – often called Indian Hemp – to cocaine, heroin and amphetamines – are increasingly available on the street and abused by both the young and the old in the country.
Only recently, the NDLEA Tincan Island chapter revealed it intercepted 876 kilograms of various illicit drugs and controlled substances between January and December 2023. The illicit drugs included cocaine, tramadol, and cannabis, the most widely used drug in the country. It is so pervasive that three blind men operating a drug trafficking ring between Lagos and Kano were arrested lately at different locations across the country.
Indeed, the World Drug Reports has identified cannabis as the most abused drug, corroborated by National Drug Use Survey in 2019 which revealed that over 11 million Nigerians abused it. Only last week, the NDLEA intercepted a consignment of ‘Colorado’, a very strong strain of cannabis, concealed in boxing kits imported from the United States of Africa. A 38-year-old lady was arrested for distributing the substances to dealers in Lagos.
Drug use prevalence for people aged between 15 and 64 is put at 14.4, almost three times the global drug prevalence of 5.5 per cent. According to the United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes (UNODC) representative in Nigeria, Oliver Stolpe, 27.7 per cent of the14.4 per cent of those concerned were youths who ordinarily should be in school and called for change in the narrative to secure their future. “One in every 10 drug users is a woman; this has affected women and girls proportionately,” said Stolpe. “Data collected around the globe suggest that this has elevated cases of gender-based violence.”
Unfortunately, the number of women abusing drugs is surging. Latest records show that one in four drug abusers in the country is a woman. Yet, the consequences of drug abuse are steep, both to the individual and the nation. While available statistics may not be reliable, there is no doubt that drug abuse has been linked to the continued upsurge in criminal activities across the country. Many cases of rape, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, banditry and even car crashes feed on this dangerous habit. Besides, it is destroying our education system.
There is no doubt that the NDLEA under Mohammed Marwa has strengthened the capacity and capability of his officers with good operational tools which has earned the trust and confidence of Nigerians and international partners. A well-armed and trained strike force is on ground to beef up the agency’s enforcement capabilities. But as the figures suggest, there is more work to be done.
