By Ibraheem Daramy
FERENSOLA
When Aiah Emmanuel Samadia, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Northeast Region, consented to be on our weekly radio talk show, Media Junction, my belief started building up that maybe, just maybe, we are getting there. As it turned out, he made it to the show and on time. Goodness me, he stayed on for the entire two hour program.
But just few minutes before we went on air, there were kids some as young as 5 pursuing those they suspected of smoking Kush. All of them carrying something they’ll use to hurt their suspects, if caught. I thought that approach was extrajudicial, therefore I’d to cut in and stop them. As someone they knew and respected, the mob listened to me before one defiant voice from among them said, “with all due respect Sir, you are the reason why we are here today.” One of my friends who was marveling at our young citizen’s bravery gave me a wince that suggested these irate kids were on a mission.
I headed for my usual joints immediately after the program – what I saw cannot be unconnected to efforts put in so far to end the kushdemic. As I took my seat, another group of about 50 or so, most of them carrying canes/whips, caught one and escorted him to the Rogbaneh Police Station, in Makeni. For the entire exercise of cleansing those dreaded drug dens since Saturday night, the Sierra Leone Police has been impressively aided by this spontaneous uprising.
When I took a careful look at the age of those leading this benevolent operation, it’s obvious they would be next in line if they do not end it now, it’s also clear as adults, we have let down our guard. As the rest of them were sniffing around, a 3 year old boy made a call to the rest of the group that one of their suspect was hiding in a house nearby, he was helped by someone residing there. They threatened to break in if he was not released to them. I came in and order was restored, but not until after the housekeeper had confessed and promised he will hand their suspect over to them. Like all others, they marched him to the station and had him booked by the police. Passing through those joints usually littered with dealers and smokers, you will be surprised at the serenity. One more thing, I saw some of those young men and women who used to move around unkept, who are yet to encounter the wrath of the vigilantees, all cleaned up. One of the vigilantees jokingly said to one of their potential suspect, “you think we don’t know you, you are under our watch, just make sure you don’t return to your old ways.”
The Regional Police Commander said he turned down a whopping (Le300,000) there hundred thousand new Leones to release a drug lord under his custody – he likened proceeds from this business to blood money. Even though the lack of a holding center is quite a challenge, given the numbers turning in, he promised to sustain the momentum. If efforts were coordinated from the top, some of these challenges would have been addressed in hindsight. According to the AIG, he currently has 86 suspects in custody connected to Kush – ranging from dealers, suppliers, etc. They will have their day in court, he concluded. He warned all those thinking about making bail for their relatives, associates or friends to be mindful of the situation at hand – though he recognised it as a fundamental right. The public is therefore calling on the judiciary to evaluate the evidence and act accordingly.
What I’ve also noticed is that, most of those involved in the distribution network are not the criminal masterminds I thought they were – they are just opportunists cashing in. The manner by which some of them got arrested, chased out and put on the run, is only possible with rookies – that would be another thing we would have to leverage on. Without being bullish, I think these bunch of blood money enthusiasts can be put out of business permanently – we would not require evoking Military Aid to Civil Power (MACP). However, we would need a game plan from the highest office of the land, starting with the classification of Kush as a national pandemic. With the gains highlighted so far, I’m afraid we would be caught out by a more reorganised racket, now that they have been rattled, if president Julius Maada Bio does not personally tick the boxes.
