Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Local Government has demanded evidence from the Freetown City Council after an official claimed that more than 220 people had died in the capital as a result of kush consumption.
In a letter seen by This Day Salone, the Ministry said it was “gravely concerned” about the remarks made during an AYV Television programme on 7 October, describing the claim as “serious and unverified.”
The Ministry warned that the statement could “cause public alarm and undermine government’s coordinated efforts” to tackle the growing kush crisis.
It has requested that the Council provide within five working days a list of the alleged deceased persons, the locations and dates of their recovery, medical evidence linking their deaths to kush, and the legal authority under which the Council conducted such retrievals.
The Permanent Secretary, Bai M. Thuray, said failure to provide proof would compel the Ministry to take “appropriate administrative and policy measures” under government protocols.
Kush, a synthetic drug whose composition often includes a mix of chemicals and plant matter, has become a major public health challenge in Sierra Leone. The government set up a Presidential Taskforce on Substance Abuse earlier this year to coordinate national efforts to curb its spread. Despite these efforts, the cartel behind the trade appears to be growing stronger, with the number of victims reportedly increasing across communities.
Rehabilitation centres that were meant to support recovery efforts have largely closed or remain non-functional due to a lack of resources.
Public speculation has also intensified about alleged high-level involvement in the kush trade, with social media users and commentators accusing influential figures of protecting the flow of the substance. Authorities have not confirmed any of these claims, but growing public mistrust has been fuelled by reports of a missing container at the Sierra Leone Ports, which some citizens believe may have contained large quantities of the synthetic drug.
As drug use and related offences continue to rise, the Honourable Chief Justice has assigned seven judges and four magistrates in the Western Area — and all judges and magistrates in the provinces — to deal expeditiously with drug-related cases.
The Chief Justice has also directed that extended court sittings, including Saturdays, be observed to ensure timely adjudication of such matters. The measure forms part of the Judiciary’s ongoing reforms to strengthen the legal response to the crisis.
However, citizens and civil society actors say these measures are not enough. They are urging the government to allocate dedicated funding to the national drug control agency and establish rehabilitation mechanisms across all sixteen district headquarter towns to address the problem comprehensively.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, William Fayia Sellu, has reportedly turned down a request by anti-drug activist Michael Tamba Komba to hold a peaceful protest against kush use.
According to reports, the IGP also allegedly warned Komba not to publish the police’s refusal letter. Civil society groups have criticised the decision, calling it a setback in the fight against drug abuse and a violation of the constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
A police spokesman said the request was denied because organisers failed to provide sufficient details about participants, adding that Komba would be held responsible for any incidents that might occur.
The decision has prompted public debate over who bears responsibility for ensuring safety during peaceful demonstrations — the organisers or the police.
As authorities intensify efforts to address the kush epidemic, activists and observers have warned that restricting public discussion and peaceful advocacy could undermine the national response.
