By Kamsi Anayo, Awka
In their bid to curtail the excesses of hard drug addicts, especially methamphetamine, most Anambra state communities have reportedly adopted to flogging of addicts caught.
Those communities are said to have resolved to take the law into their hands as the arrest and subsequent hand over to the security operatives of such offenders for prosecution, most times do not yield the expected result of ensuring that the addicts turn a new leaf.
In the words of Onowu, (Prime Minister) of Oraukwu, Idemili North Local Government Area, Chief Patrick Oyediuba, on Monday, “In our community, Oraukwu, you will be lied down and given six lashes of the cane when caught, to deter you from continuing in the illicit consumption.
“This methamphetamine addiction is imported and with time it will fizzle out. Any thing that comes must go back with time. Many people who are dealing in or smoking hard drugs have stopped because of the punishment that awaits them if they are arrested.”
Condemning methamphetamine addiction with other hard drugs by youths, he said that there were many avenues through which one could fend for himself, and by extension his family, hinting that agriculture can bring one to the limelight.
“Everybody, especially the youths should embrace agriculture, to help them to become self reliant and keep them busy. When one is busy he will not have time to go astray by indulging in hard drugs addiction.
“My son is into serious agriculture, he produces fowls, Turkey, pigs, among others and is ready to employ scores and place them on monthly salary of #30,000 each. So with this flogging of drug addicts/dealers, it has stopped in our Oraukwu community”.
Also in his reaction on hard drug consumption by youths, the President General of Ogbunike community, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, Otigbuani Ikegulu Chukwugozie, said that methamphetamine (Mkpulumiri) and other hard drug addicts could no longer be seen in the community because of assault meted out to them.
“Mkpulummiri is not in Ogbunike now, we have youths of the town union who go about it, and now that they are in charge of hunting for the consumers/dealers, they have stopped it and those who could not have fled the community.
He expressed optimism that dealing in hard drugs by the youths would be curbed adding that, “You will regret while indulging in such when they come in touch with you. Not only will they flog you, but will ensure good torture and that is why it has been eradicated to a bearable minimum.”
