Once a secret business, CATHERINE AGBO reports that the sale of illicit drugs is now rampant in many of Abuja’s neighbourhoods.
The sale of illicit drugs has become one of the most lucrative businesses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), LEADERSHIP investigations can reveal.
While such business was done discreetly in the past, drug trading in Abuja is now an open secret and whoever pays close attention would not look long enough before they notice.
Drug abuse is one of the widespread societal ills that humanity is forced to contend with.
Some of the most widely abused drugs include Heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), crack cocaine, ecstasy, opium, marijuana or cannabis and Angel dust.
A recent entrant into the most abused drugs is codeine, an off the counter cough syrup.
For most people, the abuse of drugs leads to addiction.
While the initial decision to take drugs is deliberate, over time however changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person’s self control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time send powerful impulses to take drugs despite harmful consequences to the individual who is addicted and to those around them.
Several factors including peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress and parental involvement can greatly influence the course of drug abuse and addiction in a person’s life.
It has also been found that while taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier drug use begins, the more likely it is to progress to more serious abuse.?
The business of drug peddling thrives in many unsuspecting places in Abuja and those involved do it using unique means.
Areas LEADERSHIP investigations have found to be notorious for this acts are under bridges, horticulture gardens, Dagba Village Area 1, Mabushi Village, Jabi Village, recreation parks and sometimes among regular business operators who are often unaware of the presence of such elements in their vicinity.
Most of them hide under the cover of doing other business but beneath the wares they display are their main items of sale. The most ridiculous among them sell wares such as biscuits, kolanut, recharge cards and petrol.
Others it was gathered move about with their goods in small bags and sometimes even sell in the traffic to those who know them and know their mode of operation.
The commandant, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), FCT Command, Mrs. Omolade Faboyede Omole, confirmed this when she told journalists last year that the command arrested a wheel barrow carrying biscuits with seven sachets of tramadol concealed beneath the biscuits but that the man pushing the wheel barrow took to his heels on sighting the NDLEA officers.
Furthermore, she sighted an instance of one Abubakar Shehu, a 20-year-old boy from Kebbi state, who was arrested with 13 bottles of parkilin with codein, 38 bottles of benelyn with codeine and 9 sachets of raphenol.
The patrons of the illicit drug peddlers cut across social strata and age groups. Most of them come in flashy cars and remain in the cars while the drugs are taken to them, while others just go straight to the sellers and buy.
Another group it was gathered do not go to the selling points at all as they have regular suppliers who they contact on phone whenever they need supplies.
In Wuse 2, near Whiz Oil, most of the young men who hang around there selling petrol have been found to be engaged in this business, especially at night.
A visit to the area shows that as you approach and try to pull over, they swarm on the car like bes asking you a barrage of questions, demanding what you want.
A source who craved anonymity told our correspondent that his friend asked him to take him to Wuse II in his car to buy something and that they went around Whiz Oil.
“I was driving so the boy came to me and my friend just said two wraps and handed some money to the boy but as soon as he did, the boy gave me a heavy slap and ran off.
“My friend just asked me to drive off immediately and when we were at a safe distance, he apologised and told me that he wanted to buy certain illicit drugs and the boy slapped me because of my clean shaven head and beard, because he thought I was a security personnel trying to arrest him,” he added.
Another source in Wuse Zone 4, who also declined to be named because of the sensitive subject, said some drug peddlers hang around people doing legal Bureaux De Change business and added that some of them were actually involved in the money business but sold drugs by the side.
He said that sometime last year, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) carried out a raid in the area and arrested some suspected drug dealers.?
He expressed worry that the presence of such elements among them was a source of concern to most of them, but added that they were largely unknown as they were involved in other businesses and one could not tell who is who.
Other places the illicit business is said to thrive is in regular night clubs, bars and other dark areas, where they hide under the cover of darkness to carry out the act.
Another disturbing trend is the abuse of cough syrup, codeine among young people, especially those in secondary school.
A resident, Umoru Godwin (Not real name) called on the authorities to move fast to stem the tide.
He recalled that about two years ago, the FCT administration in collaboration with the NDLEA used to carry out raids where some of these drug peddlers were arrested but regretted that such raids were no longer seen nor heard of again.
A taxi driver confirmed to LEADERSHIP that he was aware of the sale of Marijuana at a horticulture garden under a bridge near Airport Junction.
“The major business that goes on under that bride is Igbo (marijuana) selling and smoking. I once brought a passenger I picked to that place and she called a young man who came to meet her and I saw them exchange Igbo and money then we left,” he added.
When LEADERSHIP spoke with Omole on the telephone yesterday, she said the command was doing all it could, including raiding areas where they have information, to check the tide.
“We carry out raids very often. Only last week, we carried out a raid together with other security agencies. We are on top of it and we are doing our best,” she told our correspondent.
