When President Muhammadu Buhari visited Kano a few days ago, one matter of urgent national importance that Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II laid before the Palace Visitor is the drugs epidemic decimating our young people. As if in response to the Royal Lament, the Senate of the Federal Republic this week in Kano convened a Roundtable on Drugs Epidemic. Indeed, in his remarks at the event, Sarki Sanusi II reiterated that call he made to the President – that we must eradicate this scourge urgently.
Here in Kano, the drugs abuse epidemic has been at the centre stage of all discourse in academic and intellectual circles. The Centre for Gender Studies at BUK, Friends of Democracy, Kano LEADS, Coalition of Ulama and Civil Society, Ilman Nafi’an, Kano State Committee on Restructuring and Governance Reform and many other socio-economic stakeholders who consider this epidemic the centre of their activities were fully in attendance and in action at this roundtable, alongside the visiting senators.
It is important to quote Senate President Bukola Saraki at some length, because he said exactly what we wanted to hear:
“We are here to wake the nation to the insidious threat of drug abuse, which has, for too long, been the unacknowledged enemy within for us as Nigerians. The time has come to look that enemy in the face and say – Enough…
“Of late, my distinguished colleagues and I in the 8th Senate have become increasingly alarmed at the drug abuse epidemic sweeping through Nigerian communities, posing an existential threat to the very fabric of society. The scourge has been of a particularly virulent nature, touching all social strata and afflicting families and young lives…
“The goal of this Roundtable is to open a discussion involving: key policy makers, the legislature, enforcement and regulatory agencies, community leaders, civil society organisations, professional groups, care givers as well as victims – people who are involved on a daily basis in dealing with the challenge.
“Clearly, something is seriously wrong in our society if so many people can become so desperately at the mercy of rampant substance abuse that shows no sign of abating, in spite of a whole roster of agencies with the responsibility to regulate the production and use of dangerous drugs – and to stop their illegal distribution. The toll on lives and livelihoods alone is difficult to estimate; and it is manifested daily in the wrecked lives of individuals, damaged families and distorted economies…This must stop…We will no longer stand for this scourge which is destroying the social structures of our beloved country. It is time to say: Enough.
“Let us wake the nation…”
Perhaps the most courageous of all the interventions was the one from senior colleague and one-time Columnist on this newspaper Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, at present Chief of Staff to the Senate President, who openly admitted what many people would be loath to confess – that people very close to him are affected by the drugs abuse scourge, and therefore this is also a personal struggle for him. He touched many a raw nerve, and a concerned chord.
One of the most apparent revelations from the submissions of the various regulatory and enforcement agencies at the event was that there is a glaring disconnect and lack of synergy between them. It seems each agency is working on its own, doing what it feels is right, independently of the others. This may be because of the apparent lack of a reporting authority for all the agencies that deal with the control and fight against drug abuse. Though there is an Office of Special Adviser to the President on Narcotics and Drugs (manned by former NDLEA Chairman Giade), it seems the office is not effective enough, or is not respected by the concerned agencies.
In the security sector, for example, the Office of the National Security Adviser serves as Clearing House for all security agencies for proper coordination and for avoidance of overlap and wastage of energy from lack of cohesion. This does not seem to exist in the agencies related to drugs.
This apparent lack of synergy became apparent when a journalist asked the agencies in attendance to account for the recently impounded containers of Tramadol drugs being smuggled into the country, and mostly destined for the North, and to also account for the whereabouts of the named traffickers Mr. Stanley Arinze, Mr. Onuchukwu Benjamin Owulu and Mr. Igboanugo Vincent Tochukwu. Each of the agencies was looking to the others to provide the answers, until specific names of agency officials that effected the arrests and seizures were mentioned.
On recommendations, there is therefore need for a Drugs Epidemic Clearing House (a sort of Reporting Authority) where NDLEA, NAFDAC, Customs, Police and other related agencies could coordinate their activities. If the Special Adviser’s Office can do it, it should promptly be up and doing and also inform the nation on any positive (or negative) development. And the Senate must see this done.
There is also need for tougher legislation. We all wonder why we cannot bring capital punishment to drugs trafficking. Is Thailand more sensible than us, for example? As the Senate President ‘woke’ the nation up on this, the National Assembly must also wake up and consider a tougher regime. And the judiciary is not helping matters –
compromised judges give bail to arraigned traffickers. For example, some of the named suspects have been seen ‘roaming the streets’.
In summary, we hope the Presidency will cooperate with the Senate in this war. And may divine destruction visit all those who are destroying our children with drugs.
AND NOW THIS: Remember this? “Sadly, the Sallah Festival came and went without us (Federal Government-employed lecturers) being paid our salaries. We just hope…they will pay December salaries as at when due so that our Christian compatriots will enjoy Christmas without undergoing the indignity of having to borrow to buy chicken for the festive pot…” It was a lament from June when government didn’t pay our salaries for a Sallah celebrated on 25th (like Christmas). But…Hurray! It seems the Federal Government has heard the appeal, for on 21st December alerts were heard all over, announcing December salaries. Congratulations to our Christian compatriots. In view of the appeal we did on your behalf, kindly reciprocate by appealing to the President, the Minister of Finance, the Accountant General of the Federation and Revenue Mobilisation Commission to note that 2018 Big Sallah (the Ram one) may fall August 21/22. Let them ‘mobilise’ for us as well.
AND THEN THIS: The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), speaking through its Deputy Secretary General Prof. Salisu Shehu, says it is very worried concerning the case of Sister Firdaus Amasa who, for wearing a hijab under her wig, was wrongfully denied the opportunity of being called to the Nigerian bar. The NSCIA says it is equally worried of the persecutions and molestations of our Muslim sisters in various institutions of learning, on NYSC orientation camps and other specialised and professional training schools simply because they choose to observe their hijabs. And it assures Muslims it will not relent on this matter and will doggedly follow all legitimate ways to resist this apparent injustice. And says: “This has to stop!” Well said, NSCIA! But how many problems have we yet resolved with statements? Remember last year’s Ramadan NYSC Camp? What if they decide to do it again? Another statement? No, we must resort to “Tabbat Yada…”
AND THEN THAT: Remember Trump’s ‘declaration’ of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel? Let all Muslims of the world give global bay’a to Recep Tayyep Erdogan, President of Turkey and, to many, Global Amirul Mu’minin! May Allah strengthen him, and may his rhetoric be divinely transformed into action.
