…Says fellow addicts have gone mad, died, in psychiatric hospitals

By Romanus Ugwu

 

In every consideration, Sadiq Ahmad Usman, the grandson of popular politician and successful businessman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, was born with a silver spoon. He attended the best schools in the country and had everything working for him. However, it was in this state of affluence that he found succour in the consumption of drugs while in secondary school.

From cigarette smoking, Sadiq, a graduate of Sociology and Anthropology from University of Maiduguri, went into hard drugs. He was neck-deep into it such that, at a point, he became the leader of a syndicate of dealers sourcing and supplying the illicit substances to consumers within and around Kaduna State and environs.

Interestingly, he was so clinical in his operations that his parents had no inkling of his drug escapades for the 23 years the habit lasted.

Truly the godfather of the evil act, he was, however, lucky to be alive to tell his story, unlike many of his fellow abusers that ended in disaster, having gone completely mad, dead or ended up as patients of various psychiatric homes.

Now a reformed drug addict, Sadiq, an IT guru and consultant, disclosed that although he voluntarily quit drugs, he would be a satisfied man chronicling his nasty but dramatic journey into drugs in a book to serve as a reference point to parents, and, especially, northern youths currently consumed in the drug addiction.

Titling his book “Drug Sensation,” Sadiq said that, going by his experiences with drugs, from cheap to deadly substances, he has fears that drug consumption would soon lead to the total disintegration of northern Nigeria, if not checked urgently.

He further stressed that his determination to open up on his past drug addiction was to expose the spread of drug abuse in the northern part of the country, where eight out of every 10 families are engulfed in consumption of drugs.

His growing up

Like a child of most northern wealthy parents, Sadiq lacked nothing. He was very focused, until the devil tried to derail his future and ambition through his college godfather, who unconsciously introduced him to hard drugs.

Narrating his journey into the world of drugs, Sadiq said: “They told me that I was so brilliant while growing up. They told me I was a boy with big dreams. I always wanted to be a change agent. I was such a happening guy and ladies’ man.

“With such disposition, people wanted to relate with me. I grew up to be a bad but famous child. I graduated from cigarettes to other illicit drugs. At a time, I was not enjoying that lifestyle but it was difficult to stop. It was my school godfather in the boarding school that influenced me into consumption of drugs.

“I was never forced into it but we always felt like looking like them as our models. We tried to justify the consumption but I continuously warned myself to stop before I got addicted.

“Still talking about childhood, I thank my parents for giving me the best education any child can dream of. I attended American-owned nursery and primary schools in Kaduna State but, incidentally, it was in that state I start the life of drug euphoria,” he said.

His parents ignorant of his drug life

Sadiq said that his parents never had any inkling that he was into drugs. He recalled how he would even spearhead the consumption, put others in trouble and walk away freely.   

In his words: “Interestingly, my parents never knew I was into drugs because I was so smooth. I mastered the game very well and, in most cases, I would conspire with others to perpetrate bad things like taking drugs but, by the time they would be caught, I won’t be there.

“I grew up into adolescence to become the godfather of the evil act. I sponsored the drugs and even controlled the dealers. I became the one who ensured that the supply of drugs never ceased in town and if the city ran out of drugs, I would be the one they ran to and I never failed,” he told Daily Sun.

Calling it quits with drugs

Like every other habit, Sadiq admitted that quitting drug consumption was a very difficult thing to do. Although he succeded in getting out of the habit, he described it as a narrow escape.

Hear him: “I really enjoyed the life of drugs until that stage of adolescent crisis, when I decided to redirect the ship of my future. However, that decision came after I had abused drugs for over 23 years. Nobody actually preached to me to stop but I got to a stage when I told myself to stop justifying my drug habit.

“I stopped completely. The biggest deception about drug abuse is the thought that it amplifies the inner you. But it tells you many lies. I tried to convince some of the boys I started with but while some agreed, others refused. Some of them even ran away from me.

“The most regrettable thing is that some of them who tried to leave drugs were stigmatised and as such it resulted in many of them going into hiding. I also feel pained that many of them went mad completely; others became psychiatric patients while many more died.”

His purpose of confession

Considering the opprobrium and stigma his declaration on drug addiction would bring to the reputation his family built over the years, one would think Sadiq would have continued to keep the family secret intact, but it was not for him. 

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Szadiq said, “For me to, essentially, make the desired impact to save generations, I don’t need to use anyone as an example when I am a living example. I know what I went through and the sacrifice I paid to do what I am doing now.

“Interestingly, I am not aspiring to be governor or President in the future because I detest the kind of politics we play in this country today. However, I must confess that it took me several months to make up my mind because I was scared of the implication on my parents. No parent would like people pointing at their child derogatorily.

“So, for months I thought of how best to document my drug experiences in book form. I was in that state of quagmire until I approached my mother to gauge her feelings and perhaps get her blessing to write a book on drug abuse. She jumped from the bed and told me she would be the happiest mother on earth reading such book from me. That was the biggest encouragement I needed to start off.

“What I am undertaking is a risky venture and I want protection from government. However, if I die trying to save a generation, I will be a fulfilled person.”

Insight into the book

For Sadiq, the biggest motivation is the saying that no experience is complete without treasuring it in a documented book form to serve generations yet unborn. Describing the book as solution to drug abuse, he said; “The title of the book is Drug Sensation. It is segmented into volume one and two. I separated it to avoid making it bulky and scary to readers.

“The content highlights to the parents what to watch out for as early signs in their child or children about to start consumption of drugs. Even if they miss the early signs, there are also solutions to handle the addiction regardless of how critical the stage might be.

“The book will also educate addicts on how to live a drug-free life and how to overcome stigmatisation. More importantly, the book contains a whole glossary of known and unknown drugs finding their waysinto this country.

“I am currently working with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to know if the tentative June 26, 2017, date for the launch of the book will be possible. I picked that date because it is the International Day for Drugs and Illicit Substances.

“However, I have another plan of making a video documentary of the book. I already have an award-winning documentary producer working with me now. We are looking at the possibility of meeting up with that date.

“We have many past heads of state, legislators, top judges, first class chiefs and other eminent Nigerians to endorse the book as the reference point for war against drugs. We must do something about drug abuse because it is now an epidemic and a serious societal problem.

“People like Maitama Sule, Wole Soyinka, Pat Utomi, Emir Sanusi, Nasir el-Rufai, Dr. Kalifa Baba Ahmed, T.Y. Danjuma, Abdulsalam Abubakar, Ibrahim Babangida, Olusegun Obasanjo, Oni of Ife, Oba of Lagos, Chief Edwin Clarke, Prof. Jubril Aminu, Dr. Mahmud Tukur, Hajiya Hadiza Kano, among others, will contribute both in the book proper and the documentary,” he said.

Speaking further about the book, Sadiq told Daily Sun that, “It will have serious impact on the readers. It will help many families, especially in northern Nigeria, where eight out of every 10 households are facing this drug problem. The book contains remedies for it. It will enlighten many people on consumption of drugs.

“Based on my research findings, the NDLEA seized over 800 million bottles of cough syrup containing codeine in January 2016 in Kano city alone. Some of the bottles were broken, hidden in soak-away pits. The research also proved that people make over N6 million daily from codeine in Kano city alone.” 

Drug abuse more prevalent in northern Nigeria

Based on religious considerations, many would see the high consumption of drugs in the North as an anathema, but, according to his research and experience, Sadiq expressed sadness that drug addiction was rampant in the North.

“They say that truth hurts and, as a northerner, where Islam is predominantly practiced, I want to blame the high consumption of drugs on too much emphasis in the Quran warning Muslims against consuming alcohol.

“The Quran even emphasised that the prayers of any Muslim who takes alcohol will not be accepted for 40 days. Most Muslims don’t want to hear anything about alcohol, forcing many to seek succour in the consumption of codeine and other drugs. It does not give them out like alcohol would do through mouth odour.

“Surprisingly, northern Nigerian women are more into the consumption of codeine. Many men have discovered cartons of codeine hidden in their wives’ bedrooms. Ladies and very young girls hide codeine in their handbags and even inside the bottles of some soft drinks.

“The consumption of drugs is even more prevalent among young men in the North. That is why I am bent on saving generations with the fight against drug abuse and, if I die trying to do that, so be it,” he said.

The major clients of the drug cartel

You may be in for a shocker thinking that the drugs are affordably cheap for every interesting consumer as revelation from Sadiq provided insight of what transpires in the drug world.

“Surprisingly, the upper class patronise the drug cartel more. Politicians buy the drugs in massive quantities during electioneering campaigns and share them to the youths who will consume and go bizarre, resulting in the violence recorded during electioneering.

“The middle class equally patronise them and essentially take part in the distributions to earn a living. Parents in northern Nigeria are getting worried on the involvement of their children in the consumption of drugs but they have little or nothing to do.

“If the youths keep consuming drugs the way they are going, the region will collapse in few years to come. North Nigeria is facing grave consequences in the consumption of drugs.

“Regrettably, the situation seems to have overwhelmed the NDLEA whose official sometimes collect bribes. For example, I was at the Bureau De Change at Zone 4 Abuja and noticed that the area is the Abuja drug hub.

“I was shocked to notice a police patrol car collecting ‘returns’ from drug dealers, suddenly the NDLEA came with aggressive rage, but the dealers hid the drugs inside the police patrol vehicle. The NDLEA searched everywhere not knowing that they were hidden inside the police vehicle’” he revealed.