Drug Abuse: South West As Test Ground

Delusive-driven drugs and other concoctions that derail the mind and pretend body armour are endemic in streets across the Region.

Crime is definitely on the rise in the South West Region. With or without statistics, it jumps to every eye that street killings, gang operations, defying the Forces of Law and Order, highway robbery, child kidnappings and personal arrogance in the streets are prevalent these days.

As an example, the road between Kumba and Mundemba is almost deserted these days due to attacks in the second week of February at Kwakwar village in Mbonge Sub-Division (Meme Division). Added to these, shops and schools are burnt. Many young people come out easily, regularly and in their numbers for violent protests. This, regardless of the consequence because they have something to garner courage and the energy.

These acts of violence are perpetrated by youthful groups in the age-bracket of 15-25 years. On the ground in the South West Region, the lawbreakers’ world is shifting from such booster-substances as the famous marijuana and related grasses to new discoveries of aphrodisiac.

The names of the substances are either branded or street-coined. In the legal sphere the Police or Gendarme Officer would report having caught a person with “suspected dry leaves” until the chemist proves that it is marijuana.

Meanwhile, at car-wash points or motor parks, the name may vary as “hibo”, “banga”, “caja”, “better grass” or any other onomatopoeia.  These courage-building substances are smoked, injected or swallowed orally depending on the level of addiction of the consumer.

Where are these substances cultivated? How are such drugs like Tramadol smuggled into the area? Like any other contraband goods, the Region remains porous on land and on sea. But recently, traces have been found in Idenau sea port, Mbonge, Ekondo Titi, Mundemba ...