By Nanzem
The recent bust of two illicit methamphetamine laboratories in the country and the arrest of the two barons who owned them alongside their chemist is a big feat by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. And there is nothing more comforting than the assurance given at the press briefing by the NDLEA Chairman, Brig.Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) that the agency is working assiduously to clean up the country of methamphetamine.
Given the recent backdrop of the meth problem in the country, the NDLEA effort should be appreciated by Nigerians.
The havoc caused by the outbreak of abuse of meth (otherwise known as mkpuru mmiri) in the Southeast states last year is still fresh in our memory. Similarly, we can still recall the NDLEA boss’ promise sometime in January that a Special Task Force was set up within the agency to work specifically on discovering and dismantling illicit methamphetamine laboratories in the country.
The bust of the two laboratories is, therefore, a significant statement about NDLEA delivering on the promise made by its leadership to bring production, sales and use of crystal methamphetamine under control.
The success recorded recently has boosted public confidence in the capability of the Agency to safeguard the health of society.
On the other hand, the busts bring to the fore, the degree of danger that drug syndicates pose to Nigerians. For example, the laboratory located in Victoria Garden City (VGC), Ajah, Lagos, was located in a residential area with the baron dumping toxic waste into the sewage of his home which in turn contaminated the water system of the entire neighbourhood. Moreso, innocent neighbours were exposed to the danger of inhaling the dangerous gaseous waste from the lab for months and could be at risk of developing organ diseases.
Similarly, the laboratory in Nise, Anambra State, was in an uncompleted building, around which the suspects indiscriminately dumped toxic waste.
Anyone who knew the kind of extreme danger that methamphetamine poses to human health would be appalled by the reckless attitude of the kingpins. Their attitude showed how insensitive and greedy those in the drug trade are.
Methamphetamine, a crystal hallucinogen, is highly addictive and capable of destroying the central nervous system. Use and abuse of this chemical (it is a chemical) carry the same health risk as cocaine, and even worse because it is the most difficult addiction to cure.
The abuse of this drug has wreaked havoc on society at large. For example, we can still recall the case of the young man who killed his father so he could steal his N50,000 to purchase and consume methamphetamine in a part of the country.
Aside from the bust of the two labs, NDLEA has in the past few months seized a huge cache of methamphetamine, at the airports and across the country. With such positive results, the public can be rest assured that the meth menace will soon be brought under control.
We can now trust the NDLEA to deliver on its promise. However, the job will be faster and easier if members of the public also play their part by being vigilant and helping the anti-narcotic agency with valuable information about other clandestine meth laboratories in their neighbourhood.
• Nanzem writes from Lagos