How Philanthropist Is Waging War Against Drug Abuse in Kano
By Usman Ibrahim Na’Abba
HOTPEN – Kano State government has been battling to tackle the prevailing rate of drug addiction among youths which has become a prime factor in the deterioration of socio-cultural values in the state. In past, only male youths aged between 18 years and above were known to be major players in the business.
But these days, it is more heart aching that underage boys and girls including married women are into drug abuse and it is increasing by day and assuming top spots on the statistics.
The precarious situation results to making them steal from their families and friends and even around their communities.
Drug addicts are particularly vulnerable to politicians who utilize them to cause havoc during elections, and protect them from the wrath of electorates by supplementing their security apparatuses. When they don’t get the opportunity to become the “boys” of the politicians, they simply resort to their communities and continue to cement their legacies as the greatest criminals of their time.
They, sometimes make it uncomfortable for people in their communities to commute some streets. Though, others see drug abuse as something which one chooses to do or as a result of peer group influence. However, even teens living in stable and affluent homes are also into this drug addiction – many rich teens are into drug abuse in spite of all the care their parents have showed them.
Badawa community in Kano State, is one of the communities notable for its notoriety in drug abuse. It is an intensely multi-ethnic setting harboring diverse ethnicities but deeply troubled by illicit drug sales and consumption for over a decade.
In an interview with a teenager who is into selling these intoxicants, admitted that he can’t stop selling illicit drugs because he earns a lot from it and many people from far places do come and buy from him at expensive rate.
I also asked him whether he’s aware that dealing in drugs in whatever forms attract penalties if got arrested by National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency and other sister agencies, but he revealed that he could not stop selling and distribution owing to how handsomely the business pays his all his bills.
How Philanthropist Is Trying to Rescue the Situation in Kano
A philanthropist is defying all odds to change existing narratives in the community. Seeing the height of the problem has made the anonymous Good Samaritan to solve the menace. With his own money he purchase three cars, walkie-talkies and uniforms to help to arrest hard drug dealers and at the same time, he also employed some men in the vigilante group of the community to help in the fight against the scourge.
According to Badar, one of the vigilante members, “at least we have arrested more than 10 drug dealers in which some of them are recently in prison”.
He stated that their work involves too much risk because some of the drug dealers walk along with knives, sharp horns, and machetes among other dangerous local weapons. So they are always very careful in handling their operations. And they work hand in hand with NDLEA to give them more information about the community.
Because of the rapid increase in violence especially during elections and among drug addicts in communities, the activities of philanthropists cannot be underscored. Combating drug abuse as well as securing the lives and properties of Nigerians needs collaborative efforts between security agencies, community leaders as well as philanthropists. If there is a time when these collaborations are desperately needed, it is now.
Usman Ibrahim, is a 200-level student, in the Department of Information and Media Studies, Bayero University Kano.