Inside Abuja’s illicit drug markets
Drug peddlers of illicit drugs have found hubs for their goods in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)’s slums. Daily Trust on Sunday takes a look at how they operate.
The popular Nyanya night market and its environs have turned into booming markets for all sorts of drugs. A resident of the community, Mr Joseph Alu, said the community and its environs are facing serious problems as the number of those who sell and consume drugs appear to be increasing every day.
He said even underage children can be seen indulging in drugs in the area, adding that youngsters between the age of 14 and 17 could be seen smoking Indian Hemp.
A pharmacist in the area who would not want to be named said, “so many things are going wrong in the community, it appears we are at war with drug peddling and consumption here.”
He lamented that hard drugs are sold openly in the market and government has not been able to take any meaningful action against the persons involved.
Our reporters found out that the drug hawkers sell painkillers, cold syrups, depressants and aphrodisiacs.
The first three are abused to produce psychedelic sensations, it was further gathered.
But Malam Sabiu Sani, a drug hawker in Nyanya market, told one of our reporters that “we have a union which is headed by a chairman, vice chairman, PRO, registrar and task force team. None of us start this business without going through interview, after you pass, then the registrar of the union will register you and give you permit to start the business.”
He, however, declined to show our reporter his permit when he was asked to do so.
He claimed that the taskforce was in charge of arresting any of the members who sell hard drugs.
Finding also showed that a popular brothel which is close to the NNPC Service station at Nyanya is a den of drug peddlers and consumers.
Our reporters learnt that the prostitutes there and some of their customers abuse tramadol, cocaine, codeine and other substances apart from smoking Indian hemp.
A young man who would not want to be named said he gets his drugs at Bunkery, a notorious spot for drug peddlers and hoodlums by the edge of the stream near the Karu Muslim graveyard.
He said “I take drugs because they give me strength. With drugs, I am able to work hard for several hours.
“I take my drugs early in the morning before going to office, unlike others who steal and commit all sorts of atrocities in the society.’’
He claimed that he takes cocaine sometimes but that it does not make him to misbehave.
Karu Abattoir is another black spot for drugs peddling. Residents of the area were afraid to talk about the activities of the place, however, a young man who works at the abattoir alleged that the drug dealers there operate with the tacit support of security agents who are saddled with the responsibility of fighting crimes.
He alleged that sometime drugs seized from other spots are brought to the abattoir in vans belong to security agencies.
‘‘Security vans with escorts supply drugs to us here sometimes and I believe they are drugs recovered from other dealers in other locations. And if they raid from us, they sell to other dealers elsewhere, ’’ he said.
He also said drugs are displayed openly for sale in Karu abattoir, adding that he is often surprised by the kind of people who go there to buy illicit drugs.
In Kubwa too, some of the slums are booming with the sale and consumption of illicit drugs.
Our reporters identified about six places; Pipeline Junction at Gbazango extension, Kukwaba by 37th Road behind Model Primary and Secondary School around Phase 3. Also, Tipper Garage and Gidan Dambe, all along the Biyaji road in the town are places where drugs are sold and consumed openly.
One of the dealers in Kubwa, who preferred to remain anonymous, said he was introduced to the sale of Indian hemp and other illicit drugs by a friend who used to get the substances in large quantities and distribute them to other points in the town. He said the friend usually supplied the drugs to him on credit.
He explained that about a week later the friend would come back with another supply and collect the money for the first batch on agreed terms.
While describing the illicit drugs business as a ‘‘cool’’, he maintained that mutual trust among its network of cartels was more important than capital. The drugs peddler was quick to add that the business involves a lot of risk.
He said one could get arrested by authorities, just as there is the issue of rivalry among dealers, which could sometimes get bloody.
He said most of the supply in the business comes from Kano and other South-west states while other traders rely on Deidei town in the FCT or Tafa in Kaduna State to get their supplies.
Another dealer at Gidan Dembe in Kubwa, which is an isolated location, said the area remains convenient for people who are into illicit drugs as there are no cases of harassment from security agents. He said activities there start at 10 in the morning and last through the wee entire day and night.
Dei-dei is considered the main hub of illicit drugs in the FCT, because most dealers get their merchandise there and distribute to their boys. About five locations were identified in the area.
Torabra, an area along the Deidei-Dakwa road, is also a hot spot for hoodlums. A notorious place behind Deidei Abattoir called “jungle,” is where our reporters gathered all sorts of drugs could be found.
There is also a less conspicuous place behind the pedestrian bridge from the right side for those going to Zuba from Deidei. Then a location behind the main Scrap market (panteka), and also another Scrap (panteka) market at the entrance of the live stock market.
Durumi is another community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) where indiscriminate selling and usage of Indian hemp is at its peak.
The sprawling community is a stone’s throw from the Apo Legislative Quarters and one of the many places with a huge number of low income earners due to its nearness to the city centre. It costs about N50 from the community to Garki and also the same amount on a motorcycle to get to the drugs market within the community.
Dagba is a popular drug market within and outside Durumi. It is well known to both young and old probably because it is a dreaded place which only few people dare to visit.
The road that leads to the place is lined with beer parlours and joints, hence some people refer to it as Burukutu Market.
“The place is called Burukutu market because they sell different kinds of alcohol there, including locally made and imported drinks,” a resident who pleaded anonymity said.
The resident said the place is usually crowded at night, especially on weekends because of the influx of people- both high and low in the society.
Commercial motorcycle operators, scavengers, barbecue beef (suya) sellers and artisans dominate the market. The drug peddlers live in shanties and carry out their businesses openly without any fear.
There are many sections in the markets comprising cigarettes and rizla (the paper-like roll used in wrapping Indian hemp) dealers.
“Any amount of weed that you need dey here,” Mohammed, the motorcyclist that took our reporter to the place boasted. He said the place has been in existence for long though he seemed not to know how the traders carry out their business freely without arrest.
“Na only this place you fit smoke without wahala,” he said in Pidgin English.
While people are allowed to pass freely through Dagba, several people have been injured in another drug market in Wumba.
Wumba is an urban slum on the Galadimawa-Apo expressway, known for cultism and prostitution.
Among the places known for drug peddling is a garden behind a popular hotel in the area. The garden situated at the foot of a hill is well known as the haven of cannabis while many people without ‘any business at the place have been assaulted.
Though our reporter was unable to reach the place due to the extent to brutalisation, a resident who pleaded anonymity said drug business booms in the community.
The city centre too appears to be catching up in illicit drug sale and consumption. Places like A.Y.A in Asokoro have become big drugs market. Drug vendors display aphrodisiacs openly in baskets and beneath them are hard drugs.
A drug hawker at A.Y.A, Aliyu Ibrahim, said, “some of us sell hard drugs such as cocaine, Rohypnol, Roche and the most popular called Tramadol, however, we know our customers and our customers know us, we don’t sell to just anybody.
“Our suppliers always provide us with the drugs here, we don’t know their stores. We carry out our transactions here and a large number of our customers come here,” he said.
Banex Junction in Wuse II is also notorious for the drugs business. Some night clubs, hotels and lounges in highbrow Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse, Garki, Utako and Gwarinpa, also sell illicit drugs, Daily Trust on Sunday gathered.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drugs and substance abuse is “the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs”. It also refers to a condition in which a person consumes the substance in quantities or with procedures which are not approved or monitored medically. Substance and drugs abuse encompass the use of “mood-altering or psycho-active drugs; illicit drugs - narcotics; stimulants; depressants (sedatives); hallucinogens; cannabis; glues and paints.
“They either stimulate or depress the central nervous system and produce sedative, stimulants, hallucinogenic, exhilarative, brain dysfunction, physical and psychological disorders in an individual,” the WHO said.
When contacted, the spokesman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the FCT, Mr. Peter Abgeje, lamented that despite efforts by the command in tackling the situation, it has refused to go away. He said even when the command carries out raids in certain areas, after a while, another set of drug peddlers will resurface.
He, however, added that the command will not rest on its oars in ensuring that it rids the FCT of illicit drugs.
“Our men carry out raids on a daily basis, but our frustration is that after you raid an area, another set of dealers will resurface and we don’t have enough resources to man such places permanently,” he said.
The spokesman warned that any security agent caught working with illicit drug dealers will be made to face the law.