Illicit drugs consumers may have been forced to reduce their consumption due to soaring cost, findings have revealed. This is even as major hubs where the substances are sold are identified.
A long-time drug user who requested anonymity and resides in one of the hotspots for drug activities-Filin-Idi disclosed that the rising costs of the illicit substances had made drugs unaffordable for many addicts and others craving for them.
Revealed he: “Some drugs now cost ₦13,000, ₦10,000, ₦5,000, making them too expensive for us. Only the children of the wealthy and corrupt government officials can afford them. We are not thieves”.
When asked about the most notorious drug-selling locations, he named Masallacin Idi as the top spot in Kano.
Explained he: “Whatever you need pills, marijuana, or sholisho—you can get it there. Other major locations include Dan’agundi, Kofar Mata, Kofar Na’isa, and Kofar Nassarawa”.
The source admitted to using drugs due to a lack of productive engagement, stating that drug abuse was declining, possibly due to economic hardship.
Other individuals connected to drug trade also confirmed that the high cost of drugs had led to a decline in consumption.
Kano State has long been notorious for widespread drug abuse among youths. In previous years, it was ranked as the State with the highest number of drug users in Nigeria.
But in response, the Kano State Government established a committee to combat drug abuse and phone snatching in July 2024. The committee, led by Brigadier General Gambo Mai’Adua (rtd.), was tasked with tackling the crisis.
Mai’Adua expressed concern over reports indicating that one in every six people in Kano uses illicit drugs, describing it as disturbing statistics that required urgent action.
Similarly, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano State has been making efforts to curb the use of drugs and its abuse.
NDLEA Kano Commander, Abubakar Idris Ahmad, stated that his officers had raided drug dens in Dan’agundi and Masallacin Idi. He, however, advised the government to develop abandoned lands to fight the menace.
Said he: “My advice to the government is to develop all abandoned lands to prevent them from becoming hides-out for criminals. The government must urgently decide what to do with the Masallacin Idi land”.
But some analysts have accused the Agency of being lenient on drug dealers.
There are also allegations that some officers give tips to drug peddlers about up-coming raids, allowing them to evade arrest. This allegation cannot be substantiated as the NDLEA has severally debunked it.
Filin Masallacin Idi became a major drug hub after the Abba Kabir Yusuf administration demolished illegal structures there.
The site, which was left in ruins, has since become a hide-out for drug dealers and a marketplace for illicit substances.
