NDLEA: Funds may pose threat to implementation of the 57th CND resolution

Emeka Ibemere with agency Report

There are indications that the resolution reached at the 57th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), in Vienna, Austria earlier this week may not be implemented in Nigeria following the poor funding budget of the anti-drug agency. Nigeria‘s anti-drug agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency is in dire needs of fund to carry out its responsibility in tackling drug menace problem of trafficking and abuse.

Eleven point agenda-resolutions were adopted by the participants at the conference. The policies adopted at the 57th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), stressed on health, prevention and treatment in countering world drug problem. Alternative development, substance use disorders, new psychoactive substances, adequate services for drug abusers and evidence-based drug use prevention were discussed. But all these policies are capital intensive for an agency that has no serious budget to fight drug war.

No fewer than 1,300 participants from 127 UN Member States, intergovernmental organizations, UN bodies, civil society, and media converged at the opening of the 57th  plenary sessions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND),  in Vienna, Austria to discuss the key challenges in drug policy formation from 21 March -28 2014.

For one week, several discussions on drug policy of the 57th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) were held which suggested the way forward in tackling illicit drugs trafficking and consumption.

After the seven days deliberations and debate on drug policy, the 57th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) closed with member states adopting 11 resolutions.

The 57th CND session ended with resolutions and ministerial statement stressing health, prevention and treatment in countering world drug problem. Also, alternative development, substance use disorders, new psychoactive substances, adequate services for drug abusers and evidence-based drug use prevention were discussed.

Addressing the assembled Member States in his closing speech, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov, said that, over the past seven days, the world had gathered in Vienna to discuss the key challenges in drug policy.

He added, "The CND has also enabled us to strengthen our responses to such threats as drugs from Afghanistan and drug trafficking and consumption in West Africa”.

Drug policy issues raised by the member states formed the resolutions adopted by the member states. The resolutions are alternative development, substance use disorders, new psychoactive substances, ensuring adequate services for drug abusers and evidence-based drug use prevention.

Additional impetus was given to alternative development through a resolution encouraging Member States to share their expertise and experience.

 In a speech at a side event on alternative development, held on 18 March, Yury Fedotov underlined the importance of this area to UNODC when he said, "We must keep in mind that when we are talking about alternative development, we are talking about small farmers faced with poverty, food insecurity, lack of land and instability, who, as a result, find no other option but to engage in illicit drug cultivation."

The 57th session of the CND began on 13 March with the High-Level Review and agreement on a Joint Ministerial Statement on the world drug problem. Following the weekend, on 17 March, it reconvened for the regular session of CND, which ended on the last day of the discussion.

On the other hand, drug consumption and the impact of trafficking on governance, security and development in West Africa were highlighted at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

At an event organized by the West Africa Commission on Drugs (WACD) and the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), a panel including UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov and the former President of Nigeria and current Chair of the WACD President Olusegun Obasanjo discussed the vulnerability of West Africa to illicit drug trafficking, and as a spill over effect, increased drug use in the region.

The WACD held their own discussion on the side-lines of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the event was addressed by UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov, the former President of Nigeria and current Chair of the WACD President Olusegun Obasanjo, and WACD Commissioner Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou were both in attendance.

Discussing the vulnerability of West Africa to illicit drug trafficking and as a spill over effect, increased drug use in the region, Mr. Fedotov noted:

"The trafficking of cocaine remains a serious challenge and there has been an increase in the amount of heroin trafficked into the region, especially since 2010. Methamphetamine production in West Africa is rising while trafficking of ephedrine is a matter of serious concern. Meanwhile, local drug use appears to have intensified, including the growing use of crack cocaine, heroin and amphetamine-type stimulants. This has become an issue for public health and safety, with an attendant rise in the number of new HIV infections attributed to injecting drug use".

President Obasanjo meanwhile warned that "developments pose serious threats to peace and security in West Africa", referring to the organized crime syndicates who use the region as a hub to transit drugs to other parts of the world. He additionally noted the importance of stepping up actions to end drug-related user problems in the region. Obasanjo called for funding to be more proportionately directed towards health, treatment and rehabilitation services, which are lacking.

This was similarly expressed by Mr. Fedotov who, while calling for additional support to stop drug trafficking, pointed to the urgent fact that there is the need, “to address demand and facilitate quality treatment and rehabilitation services."

Dr. Ould Mohamedou also discussed the health repercussions of drugs in West Africa and noted that while the region has historically been considered a transit destination, indications show that consumption is climbing, particularly among youth, as is the local production of drugs such as cannabis.

All three participants highlighted the need to tackle the underlying socio-economic factors if a lasting solution is to be found. President Obasanjo and Dr. Ould Mohamedou noted that, with high levels of poverty and unemployment, more jobs are needed as young people in particular might regard drug trafficking as an attractive income generating opportunity.

The event concluded with a brief overview of an upcoming WACD report which will be launched in mid-2014. The report, which builds on existing initiatives and will include a list of policy recommendations, focuses on both demand (drug use) and supply (drug trafficking) and has been developed in collaboration with a range of actors working in this area. This includes regional leaders, law enforcement officials, civil society organizations, and bodies such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and UNODC.

 In Nigeria, experts are worried that lack of fund are going to work against the key challenges in drug policy formation resolutions reached at the Vienna.  With small farmers facing serious land degree acts, lack of land and instability, illiteracy and poverty, there are indications that they would still be releasing their lands to drug barons who use such lands for illicit drug cultivation. Moreso, when the agency in Nigeria lacked fund to go for massive campaign and carry out serious advocacy enlightenment programmes by letting the farmers know the implications of drugs to health. In Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been underfunded by the ministry that supervises it leaving the agency in the hands of the foreign donors and government to cater for the NDLEA. 

Unknown to government of Nigeria, the country has gradually strolled into the comity of nations tagged as places where illicit drugs are produced.

In the last two years, more than six clandestine factories, producing illicit drugs have been uncovered inside remote areas of Lagos and Anambra States of the country from where the drug traffickers pick their ‘wares’ and headed to its places of consumption-America and Europe. In no small measures, Nigeria has become a hub of drug trafficking in West African zones of the continent.

 Few months ago, the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) stormed the sleepy community of Shapeti, off Lekki-Epe, Expressway, and Lagos State and discovered another methamphetamine Clandestine Laboratory.

NDLEA says Methamphetamine is a powerful addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system.

According to the agency’s investigation, the current laboratory is the sixth of such illegal methamphetamine production factories uncovered in the last two years. It’s located opposite two private nursery schools.

The first Clandestine Laboratory in the country was discovered in 2011. The accused persons have been charged to court and the case is still on-going.

It’s no longer news that drug barons have institutionalized themselves in Nigeria and it is happening when there are no political will to confront this ugly trend.

 The present National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, investigation has shown that NDLEA doesn’t have what it takes to fight the scourge more so when the agency is broke financially.

The institutional mechanism to handle the consequences of the drug cartel in Nigeria is lacking. Until the federal government rekindle her effort in fighting drug war what is happening in Latin America may be a child’s play.

In some states in Nigeria, a bag of cannabis sativa cost higher than a bag of rice and investigation have shown that in those states where cultivation of sativa is being engaged with serious attention, farmers are picking up sativa stems instead of cash-crops for cultivation.

The only drug cultivated in significant amounts locally in Nigeria, is marijuana or cannabis sativa. Nigerian-grown marijuana is the most commonly abused drug domestically. Drug barons also export marijuana throughout West Africa and to Europe through Nigeria’s porous borders.

NDLEA’s budget is inadequate to implement the plan. The Government of Nigeria held NDLEA’s budget at its 2011 level of approximately $61 million. Of this, 0.02 percent or approximately $140,497 is allocated for NDLEA staff training.

Personnel costs account for 92.4 percent of the NDLEA’s budget, while one percent supports capital expenditures. With this paltry sum, it would be difficult implementing the resolution of the 57th plenary sessions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), in Vienna, Austria on challenges in drug policy in Nigeria.

Also, drug demand and reduction policy in Nigeria is at all time low due to funds. The agency is only interested in the arrest and seizures without accompanying treatment of drug users because of finance. It cost average of N60, 000 to admit a drug user patient. Even the Psychiatric Hospitals throughout Nigeria are not enough compared to the increasing wave of mental illnesses ravaging the country’s population.

 Neuro -Psychiatric Hospitals are tertiary mental health institutions under the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja. Currently there are eight full fledge psychiatric Hospitals in the federation, which includes Federal Neuro -Psychiatric Hospital in Kaduna, situated along Barnawa Road, opposite Shagari Federal Low Cost Houses Barnawa, Kaduna South, Kaduna State. Others are psychiatric hospitals Iselu Benin City, Maiduguri, Kware Sokoto, Enugu, Calabar, Abeokuta and Yaba Lagos States.

The financially handicapped national anti drug law agency of the oil rich Nigeria, the   National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and their operatives have not gone on training in the last decade, following the paucity of funds that has crippled the agency’s activities.

 The Federal Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of the federation in charge of the agency and the federal government have neglected the agency in terms of budgetary allocation meant for the running of the agency. 

It was gathered that because of the poor funds allocation, the staffers of the agency had not gone for training and that there Jos training school, in Plateau State is in bad shape without maintenance.

Early August, while delivering his address at a business meeting of the Rotary Club of Lagos which took place in Ikoyi, Femi Ajayi, Director General of the NDLEA, said the problem of underfunding has continued to cripple the activities of the agency despite all powers granted to her to control drug abuse.

 “Despite the fact, that Section 41, of the NDLEA, Act, Cap N.30, empowers the agency and her officers to enter into any premises and conduct search without warrant in the course of their duties upon a reasonable suspicion of the commission of a drug offence as well as Sections 4 and 43 of the NDLEA Act that empower the agency to, on the respective approval of either the President or Attorney-General of the Federation, investigate anybody who appears to be living beyond his apparent source of income, the NDLEA has always been confronted with various challenges which include poor funding, inadequate equipment and poor staffing.

 In an interview with Daily Newswatch recently, the DG lamented over the poor funding of the agency and said the entire agency’s responsibilities have been affected.

“It is rather absurd that in a nation of about 160 million populations, the staff strength of NDLEA is still below 5,300 for the entire country with a lot of borders, legal and illegal entries, which have led to increase in criminality in the area of drug abuse,” he said.

  Ajayi noted that before now, Nigeria was just taken for a passage of drugs, but the NDLEA has discovered five different clandestine laboratories where drugs are being produced. According to him, in the last 30 years, Nigeria has moved from small player to major player in drug production and consumption.

“Nigeria is now known for trafficking in drugs and production of the substances, and unless more money is pumped into the agency, drug control would be compromised, the work force would be compromised while the future of the youth is put in jeopardy.

 “It is pertinent to point out that by the nature of her functions; NDLEA has the responsibility of safeguarding the health of Nigerians, contributing to maintenance of peace and security in the nation, as well as promoting and enhancing the country’s international image and integrity to attract support and investments. These have led to granting of special powers to the agency to enable her discharge her mandate,” Ajayi said.

EFCC Press Release: EFCC Arraigns Fraudster for 275,000 Euro Love Scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, March 28, 2014 arraigned Amodemaja Adeboye Quadri before Justice A. A. Aderemi of Oyo State High Court, Ibadan on a 4-count charge bordering on personation, marriage scam, and obtaining money by false pretences.
One of the charges read: "Adeboye Quadri Amodemaja (alias James John Smith) in 2012 within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of 70,878.00 Euros (Seventy Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy Eight Euros) from Laura Reffosco by falsely representing to her that you are in love with her and the money represented the sum for acquiring landed properties and establishing a business together in Nigeria which pretence you knew to be false."

He pleaded not guilty to the charges. EFCC counsel, Zainab Etu asked for a trial date but did not oppose the bail application of the defendant.
Defense counsel, Babatunde Alaka made an application for bail, supported by a seven-paragraph affidavit and a written address dated March 27 and 28, 2014.
 The judge granted the defendant bail in the sum of N5million with two sureties in like sum.
 One of the sureties must be a civil servant on grade level 10, and the other must have a property within the jurisdiction of the court. Both sureties must submit two passport-sized photographs to the Registrar of the court.

He adjourned the case till April 11, 2014 for hearing and ordered that the defendant be remanded in Agodi prison, Ibadan
 Troubles started for Quadri in 2011when he got involved in a contrived relationship with an Italian lady, Mrs Laura Roffosco and lied to her that he was an American, named James John Smith. In the course of the relationship, he confessed to her that he was actually a Nigerian and that he needed money to start up a business for the two of them and register a company, Alanquad Investment that they would be running after their marriage. Roffosco was thrilled by the proposal and sent a total sum of 275,000Euros to him.

Complications, however, crept into the relationship when Quadri invited Roffosco to Nigeria to "come and see things for herself" and confirm a landed property he bought in Ibadan. The lady came but couldn’t locate Quadri "because all his phones were off".

Quadri admitted that he declined to see her because he found out that the lady was too old for him. He said that he later sent her a mail that he was no longer interested in the relationship. This spiked Roffosco's anger and she petitioned the EFCC.

Quadri confessed to investigators that he used part of the 275,000 Euros sent by Roffosco to buy a landed property in Ibadan at the cost of N8,000,000(Eight Million Naira ), an Infinity Jeep at N3,000,000( Three Million Naira ) and built  two 3-bedroom bungalows in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

Wilson Uwujaren

EFCC Press Release: FLEEING SUSPECT KNOCKS DOWN EFCC OPERATIVE

An Operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Jonathan Barde, was on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, knocked down by a Honda Accord car, desperately driven by a fleeing suspect, Tajudeen Oluwanishola, who was trying to escape arrest over a case of  fraud being investigated by the Commission.

Barde sustained serious injury and was subsequently rushed to the Military Hospital, Ikoyi, Lagos for medical attention. 

Not only was Barde injured, a Toyota Hilux van that took the investigative team to the Gbagada Estate neighbourhood where the suspects reside was badly damaged as the suspect rammed his car into the vehicle in his desperate bid to escape arrest.

Unfortunately for Oluwanishola, who bolted upon sighting the investigative team led by Pius Akoji, his  escape bid was foiled by a  Rapid Response Patrol team which apprehended him and handed him over to the EFCC.

Oluwanishola is being investigated for an alleged internet banking fraud to the tune of N5, 500,000 (Five Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira).

Pension Scam: Accused Person Forfeits Property to FG

EFCC Press Release

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today said it has achieved some success in the prosecution of pension fraud cases. Briefing journalists in Abuja, the agency’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said the Commission has called several witnesses in many of the cases under trial and succeed in securing the final forfeiture of a property linked to Shuaibu Teidi, former director, Pension Accounts,  Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, who is facing a 22-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to commit fraud and concealing the origin of stolen pension funds to the tune of N18.3 billion.

The said property, Brifina Hotel, which is located at Plot 1106 Cadastral Zone, Durumi District, Abuja, was allegedly acquired by  Teidi through his company, Badawulu Ventures, for three hundred and thirty nine million naira.

However, he said, the accused person denied ownership of the property despite claims by the original owner that he sold it property to Teidi. On the basis of his denial, the EFCC approached the Federal High Court to seek for a final forfeiture order which was granted by Justice Adeniyi Ademola. The Commission had earlier secured an interim order of forfeiture on the property from Justice Adamu Bello.

Like the pension cases, the Commission has also made appreciable progress in the various oil subsidy cases which are ongoing in court.  He said several witnesses have been called to give evidence before the court in some of the cases. However, he said one of the accused persons, Seun Ogunbambo has become a fugitive of the law and has consequently been declared wanted by the Commission. He called on Nigerians with useful information on the whereabouts of Ogunbambo to contact the Commission at the head office or any of the zonal offices in Port Harcourt, Lagos, Kano, Gombe or Enugu

On the issue of the assets recovered by the Commission from the former governor of Bayelsa State, Dieprieye Alamiyeseigha, Uwujaren said it was unfortunate that some people decided to stir needless controversy in an already settled matter. “I am sure some of you were witnesses in 2010, precisely July 10, 2010, when the assets recovered from Alamiyeseigha were handed over to the Bayelsa State government. Timipre Sylva, then governor of the state was on hand to receive the assets which included Chelsea Hotel, Abuja from former chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri,” he said.  Uwujaren said it was gratifying that the Bayelsa State government acted responsibly by distancing itself from such action.

“If there are issues arising from the handling of the case, or any other case(s) for that matter, the Commission as a responsible corporate organization is willing to entertain such issues. However, “EFCC will not succumb to the blackmail of any one,” he posited.

Mr. Uwujaren further disclosed that the Commission has stepped up the investigation of judges and other judicial officers accused of corruption. According to him, some of the judicial officers have already been quizzed by the agency while others are still being expected to report for interrogation.

The head, Media and Publicity seized the opportunity to inform the media about the condemnable attack on one of the operatives of the Commission, Jonathan Barde, by a suspect, Tajudeen Oluwanishola. The operative of the Commission was knocked down by Oluwanishola with his car in order to avoid arrest. The suspect has however been arrested by the Commission and would be prosecuted.

N416 Scam: Court Refuses Request To Defer Fayose’s Trial Over Guber Ambition

…Admits More Exhibits Against Ex- Gov

A Federal High Court sitting in Ado- Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Thursday, March 27, 2014 refused the request by the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Part in Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose to delay his trial to enable him concentrate in prosecuting his gubernatorial ambition.

Fayose, a former governor of the state is standing trial for allegedly misappropriating state funds to the tune of N416million during his tenure. At the resumed hearing on Thursday, counsel to the former governor, Mr. Raji Ahmed, SAN. prayed the court to adjourn the matter till the first week in July to allow his client to concentrate on his electoral campaign as the candidate of the PDP in the June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti state; arguing that the accused must be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The request was however turned down by Justice Adamu Hobon, after a strong objection by Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, counsel to EFCC, who said that, an accelerated hearing of the matter would help Fayose. According to him, “It would be in the interest of the accused person, so that his people can make up their mind about him and his name cleared before the election”.

Justice Hobon, thereafter, adjourned the matter till May 6, 2014 for continuation of trial.

Before the matter was adjourned, the court admitted eight documents tendered as exhibits by the prosecution. 

The documents admitted included Certificate of Identification of Biological Concept Nigeria Limited; Account Statement of Biological Concept Nigeria Limited; Account Opening document of Biological Concept Limited; Account Statement of Avians Specialties Nigeria Limited and Account Opening document of Avians Specialties- all with Skye Bank Plc.  Others are Certificate of Account of People's Democratic Party, Ekiti state at Keystone Bank, the Account Opening form of the party and Statement of Account.
Five of the documents involving Skye Bank, were presented before the court by a prosecution witness, Mr. Emmanuel Olajide Alejo, who was led in evidence by Jacobs. 

The EFCC counsel urged the court to admit the documents as exhibits. He emphasised that, the witness could not produce the original of the documents owing to short notice. The witness had earlier told the court that, he was instructed to prepare the documents for witnessing, two days before he appeared in court. According to him, "for me to produce the original of the documents, the management of the bank will have to sit, deliberate and agree before the documents can be released and this will not meet the time the court is supposed to sit".

This claim was, however, opposed by Ahmed, SAN, on the grounds that, the reason offered by the witness was not tenable in law. According to him, even with the short time frame, the management of the bank should have released the original of the documents. In his ruling, Justice Hobon said that, “looking through the Evidence Act 83(2), 84, 89(f) (h) all read together, no doubt, these documents passed admissibility test and such can be admitted as evidence". He subsequently admitted the documents as exhibits N1-N5.

The court also admitted three documents presented by another prosecution witness, Taiwo Sanusi, head of Compliance, Monitoring and Reporting at Keystone Bank. The three documents were generated from an account of the PDP, Ekiti State.

Jacobs prayed the court to admit them as exhibits and with no objection by Ahmed, Justice Hobon admitted them as exhibits P1, P2 and P3 respectively.
Fayose was re-arraigned on November 22, 2012 by the EFCC on a 27-count amended charge bordering on misappropriation of state funds to the tune of N416million.

EFCC Press Release: EFCC Arraigns Suspect for N13.5m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today March 27, 2014 arraigned one Elvis Ezeani before Justice Valentine B. Ashi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Wuse, Abuja on a 3-count charge which borders on obtaining money by false pretence.

The accused had been at large since December 2006 when he jumped the administrative bail granted him by the EFCC, until he was re-arrested on the 14^th of February, 2014. His accomplice, Joseph Morah, was successfully prosecuted by the Commission and convicted by the court for the same offence of obtaining the sum of N13, 500 million under false pretences.

The accused upon his arraignment pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

Court one of the charge reads: “That you Elvis Ezeani and Joseph Morah, on and about the 25^th day of May 2006, at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did conspire among yourselves to do an illegal act to wit: obtaining money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 99(1) of the Penal Code, Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

Based on the plea of the accused, counsel to EFCC, C.C Ndubueze asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the accused in prison custody pending his trial. Attempt by counsel to the defence, V. C. Chimezie to move an oral application for bail was rejected as Justice Ashi asked him to file a formal application for bail. He ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody while the case was adjourned to May 13, 2014 for trial.

‘The day I left rehab home was my greatest day in life’—ex-drug user

Emeka Ibemere

If you call him a child of circumstances, you aren’t wrong. And if you decide to say that he is a cat with nine lives; you are still in order. And if you think he has something to share with fate, you may attract applauses.

But after reading his story, you would eventually know that his story has nothing to do with his star or character but just a mere peer group pressure.

Born in a family of seven siblings, he is the only male child. Six others are girls. His father was also the only son of his parents.  A year before he was born his father lost his only brother in 1977 and his own two brothers had died in their infants before he was born.

By the time he was a year older, he was stricken with strange attack and was ill for years, which made everybody to lose hope of his survival until providence, intervene to preserve him.

With three failed attempted suicide, mental effect of sexual abuse, frequent visits to rehabilitation homes, frustrated love life, suffering relapse and near mental derange, Gilbert Olumide Akerara, surmounted his ordeals and was able to survive what the cruel fate has stocked piled for him in the last 36 years.

The stumbling obstacles later turned to be a stepping stone on which he rose to be a founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gifted Hands’ Help Foundation, a Non Governmental Organization that help drug addicts in Nigeria.  This is the background in which Akerara grew up.

Akerara was on a mission to share his story. He wants to teach people under the influence of drugs to look beyond their conditions and to help them to understand how drug abuse happens and its effects on the drug user to acknowledge and embrace their inner beauty.

Akerara is no stranger to drug addiction. While on the trauma of drug addiction, some people stare, make ugly comments or send vicious comments but this gutsy young man has the grit to speak out. He is honest about the pain it causes him, though; he refuses to let anything stop him from telling his ugly past. Recently at a three day Media Roundtable organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), entitled: Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crimes in Nigeria, Abeokuta capital of Ogun State, a project funded by the European Union (EU), Akerara shared his story with the Nigerian journalists across the spectrum of the media. According to him, the essence of relating his story was to enable journalists conceptualize illicit drug use and abuse from a former drug user’s perception in order to let the society especially the youths to learn from his experience and ‘say No to drugs’. The audience was stilled by the Akerara’s experience as he narrates them in a chilling tale. Then he told the following story:

“Greetings to you all, first and foremost, I want to express my appreciation and in-depth gratitude to UNODC for the privilege to share my story. Secondly, to tell you all about myself, my family background and how I was given a second chance as an ex-drug addict”, Akerara continued.

“I was born into a family of seven children (6 girls and I’m the only boy). Incidentally my dad is also the only male in his family, he has five sisters. I was told that I had two brothers who died as infants. Our first born is a boy who died at the age of five; our fourth born is a boy, who also died as a baby. When I was born, I was told that at one year old, I was attacked with illness and I almost died but God preserved me though, my parents never thought I would make it to adult. I was told that my dad also lost his only brother in 1977, a year before I was born”.  But how did Akerara become a drug- hooker? This is his reply:

“I got addicted to drugs, precisely marijuana in 1999 via peer pressure. I was having problems with my first love in a club in Kaduna, Kaduna State, in a club named- ‘A square Night Club’. She jilted me for my friend. I was actually feeling sad that day and two other friends of mine offered me a ‘joint’ and I was glad to oblige them, though that wasn’t the first time of seeing them smoking ‘ganja’ or offering me which I always politely turned down”, he stated. “But that particular day, my state of mind was sad due to the break up with my girlfriend. I wanted something that would lift my morale and after the 1^st and 2^nd wraps of ‘joint’, I was hooked, that was the genesis of my romance with illicit drug use.” As if the ‘ganja’ wasn’t enough, he went on to experience other psychotropic substances.

“I went further to experiment with other drugs like alcohol, volatile solvents. Hallucinogens, crystal-meth, rephnol, crack-cocaine and ecstasy, but my preferred choice of hard drug then was marijuana, followed by crack-cocaine. I could smoke 30 wraps of ‘joint’ in a day. It became a full time occupation”, he revealed.

 “If I did not take ‘ganja’ in the morning, I could not eat. There wo0uld be no appetite for food except after smoking marijuana. Even if it is 3pm, in the afternoon and for some reason whatsoever, I had not smoked a joint, I would not eat food till after I smoked a joint. Sometimes, I would keep compulsive vigil just smoking marijuana from 11pm to 5am in the morning. It got to a point in my life then, that if you were not a drug user, we could never have a rapport”. Akerara added that in March 2002, an unexpected happened.

“Then in March, 2002 after attempting suicide, I had my first psychiatric case and a file was opened for me at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Kaduna. In November, 2003 I was admitted in the same hospital for four months. In March 2004, I was discharged on Parole and I was sober for a full year in which I rewrote my JAMB and WAEC examinations and also enrolled for a lesson in Kaduna at Classic Tutors for tutorial classes in preparation for my examinations”. If you are in doubt of how a psychiatric resident could pass his examinations, then hear Akerara: “Miraculously, I passed the two examinations and gained admission to the University of Abuja to study BSC Sociology in January, 2006”, he stated adding that;

 “In my first semester in school, my GPA, was 4.2 and I was doing relatively well not only in academics, but in extra-curricular activities on campus. But somehow, I had relapsed into my old ways of illicit drug use by the 2nd second semester in 100 level. I was taken by the school authorities to the federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, because I had broken down physically, mentally and the Dean of student Affairs, then who was Dr. Yusufu Zoaka, now an Associate Professor of political science, contacted my family in Kaduna and the school ambulance with school security personnel and armed policemen forcefully took me to Kaduna and I was admitted at the Federal Neuropsychiatric hospital with the consent of my parents”. “I spent three months in the hospital and I was discharged and after I was discharged, I attempted suicide with overdose of my medication and I was unconscious and also readmitted in the hospital of which I spent another three months making a total of six months”. Why the suicides, you may wish to know from Akerara: “in my life as an addict, I had three failed suicide attempts of which each, I ended up in the hospital but somehow, did not die. Really, I meant to die, I meant it and wanted to die. I felt that the only way out of my misery, despair, woes, pains and hopelessness of a life of compulsive illegal drug use”.

His life as a Neuropsychiatric hospital resident was challenging and terrible experience.

“I had been to several rehab centres during my days of addiction. Sometimes voluntarily, sometimes coaxed and some other times, out right forced, regardless of my own stands then even though I was above 18 years, I had been rehabilitated in Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kaduna, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja(LASUTH) and House of Refuge, Lekki in Lagos. When I was admitted at the psychiatric Ward of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, I was chained to my bed for two weeks. It was a terrible experience.” The former drug user turned resource person for UNODC, his experience would soon hit the bookshelves when he finished writing his story. “I’m presently writing a book entitled: ‘Reconciliation, Restoration, and Redemption; A Tale of an Ex-Drug Addict’. It’s about my life, my mistakes, my experiences and God’s grace in turning everything around for good and giving me a second chance not only to be drug-free but privileged to be helping others in the process of recovery, coping with cravings and dealing with relapse.” He added, I’ve seen it all,

I‘ve experienced it all and somehow, I came out of it all triumphantly and victoriously with an NGO, which is a non-profit organization named Gifted Hands Help Foundation. The aims and objectives of this organization are to help drug addicts, orphans, widows, sexually abused and destitute”. Speaking further, he said. “The statement of Gifted Hands Help Foundation is to identify and critically respond compassionately to the needs of those seeking healing, reconciliation, restoration and recovery from addiction, abuse and destitution”. According to Akerara,

“Our vision is to help the needy, heal the broken hearted and build them up. Counsel those plagued with addictive and compulsive acts and behaviour that affects them negatively in all areas of their endeavours and relationships both their inter-personal relationships and intra-personal relationships”.

Do you know, that it wasn’t only addiction that Akerara suffered while growing up? He was traumatised by a gay who sexually abused him at the age of 10 years.

“When I was a child, I was sexually abused by a man in my neighbourhood whom I trusted as a big brother, since I had no brother. I was only 10 years old then. To make matters worse, I was too afraid to tell my parents and I was to travel back to school in Jos. It was a boarding school, so there was no one close, enough to share my pains with; it was a traumatic experience for me in which I lived with the pain for so many years. I have since forgiven the man, I don’t know where he is now but I wish, I could see him to share the love of Jesus with him and let him know I have forgiven him and hold no resentment whatsoever towards him for what he did to me 26 years ago”, Akerara stated. To the glory of God, it had all been a worthwhile experience in my life as an addict and now an ex-addict, I have learnt the lessons and I will dedicate the rest of my life, time and resources in helping others”. In his kitty, are two books already published-Drug abuse and pathogenesis; Solutions that work and Overcoming Drug addiction, a step by step guide to addiction recovery, dealing with cravings and coping with relapse.

“I thank EU, UNODC and NDLEA for the great humanitarian work you have been doing to help traffickers and users alike. I’m willing and ready to be part of your team to answer the clarion call and move at your bidding to help, speak, counsel others and share my own testimonial with addicts, recovering addicts and ex-addicts who are battling with relapse both locally, nationally and internationally”, he added. Without the efforts of others and roles they played in my life, directly or indirectly, consciously or subconsciously, I would somehow, somewhere needs my own efforts and your own efforts, too”.

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them. Akerara’s case isn’t a case of once a hooker, always a hooker.