The Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovers that as an alternative to using hard drugs, young people in Borno have started consuming fermented human urine that has been kept for days and other substances.
The NDLEA commander of drugs in Borno, Iliyasu Mani, revealed this in a statement on Thursday in Maiduguri, bemoaning the widespread misuse of psychoactive substances by youths.
The commander also revealed that they also take other unusual substances such as lizard dung, camel urine, Lipton soaked in gin, mentholated spirit mixed with soft drinks, and inhale toilet fumes and gutter dirt, amongst others, to intoxicate themselves.
Mani said, “Let me state categorically here that these new psychoactive substances that are commonly abused today include cannabis sativa, skunk, cough syrup with codeine; Ice, Tramadol, Rohypnol, Diazepam, Pentazocine, rubber solution, glue, gutter dirt, toilet fumes, lizard dung.
“Others include Lipton soaked in gin, camel urine, mentholated spirit in soft drinks, 10-day-old human urine, and so on.”
Noting his command’s hard battle against drug abuse, Mani admitted that “the issue of substance abuse is even getting challenging, especially with the involvement of young teens in the abuse of new psychoactive substances, especially women.”
“Despite all these, we must not lose our hope as the agency has strengthened its efforts towards prevention strategy through the establishment of remodeled counselling/rehab centre within the premises of Borno state command,” the commander said.
According to him, the command had apprehended 863 individuals, 53 of whom had been found guilty, and 736 of whom were receiving counseling. It had also confiscated 4.5 tonnes of illegal substances.
Mani clarified, though, that the command has also set up drop-in centers to act as drug abuse research centers in all tertiary universities.
