By: Sulaiman Stom Koroma.
Sierra Leone is facing a critical situation as its youth struggle with high unemployment rates, leading a huge portion of those youth to seek solace in drugs amidst the hardships or joblessness in the country.
This massive drug intake has not only affected the lives of these youth but also has wider implications for the nation, as youth and many citizens resort to drug smuggling to cope with economic challenges.
With limited job opportunities available, a growing number of Sierra Leonean youths are resorting to drug intake, posing serious risks to their health and well-being. In April last year, we saw the tragic deaths and mass burial of about 31 youths reportedly linked to kush intake. The ripple effects of this crisis are becoming more pronounced, with reports laying bare government officials allegedly engaging in illicit drug activities. Such accusations not only erode public trust in the fight against drugs but also show the deep-rooted nature of the issue of drugs within and outside the country.
The lack of viable employment options has left many young people feeling disillusioned and without a sense of purpose, driving them towards substance abuse as a means of escape. Critics argue that if the government is truly committed to combating the spread of drugs and preventing further tragedies, efforts should not only focus on punishing end-users but also on targeting those responsible for its distribution whom many believe are at the citadel.
According to a police press release in November of 2024, the Regional Police Commander of Freetown-East, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Francis Brima Meinday, led a joint security effort that uncovered an illicit Kush production facility at a residence on Kanu Drive, Temne Town, Upper Allen Town. This, the release says, was done because concerns had been mounting in the community as several pupils from the nearby Baptist Secondary School reported health issues linked to chemicals used in the Kush manufacturing process. The situation escalated when an explosion erupted from the suspected drug lab, prompting immediate police action. Leading to the discovery of numerous items associated with the production of Kush.
In October of 2024, the Sierra Leone Police in the Southern Region arrested several suspects in possession of illegal drugs at various checkpoints in Bo. On the same day, another suspect, Fomba Swaray, a driver from Monrovia, was intercepted at the Fallah checkpoint on the Bo-Taiama Highway. It was said that Swaray was found with six and a half parcels of Kush, a potent form of marijuana. On October 19, joint security forces stationed at the Jendema Customs Complex arrested two suspects attempting to smuggle large quantities of Tramadol into Liberia.
To many, the government should strengthen law enforcement and promote transparency in governance by acting on the public outcry that many highly placed people are involved in the drug running. This, they say, is essential to combat drug-related crimes and hold accountable those involved in illegal drug activities.
In the international scene, Members of a suspected organised crime group from the North West of England were arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle £140m worth of cocaine into the United Kingdom, as part of a National Crime Agency investigation The consignment, which weighed 1.3 tonnes, was discovered in August last year in a shipping container at the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk, after it had arrived from Sierra Leone on the16th December 2024.
Recently, Sierra Leone has been embroiled in a series of drug-related controversies. The country’s ambassador was recalled after drugs were discovered in a utility vehicle belonging to the Sierra Leone embassy in Guinea. Additionally, five individuals were arrested in Senegal on drug charges, and a woman was imprisoned in the Gambia for drug-related offences. Adding to the turmoil is this report of a high-profile EU drug lord, Jos Leijdekkers, who was allegedly spotted in Sierra Leone in a village called Tihun, the hometown of President Bio, attending a church service and another video of him visiting a rice farm where the president was also pictured was also making rounds on social media.
With all this brouhaha, Sierra Leone’s reputation and credibility on the international stage could be significantly compromised as rumours of its citizens and government officials being involved in drug running and allegedly providing refuge to a drug lord can lead to potential diplomatic tensions with other countries, in turn, this will affect the trust in global security matters. It may also impact foreign investment and economic development in the country due to increased perceived risk.
The government should be courageous and bold in taking decisive actions to root out any individuals and activities and hold perpetrators accountable.
This is not only important but very crucial for maintaining both domestic stability and international credibility.
