In his speech to the nation yesterday, the President of Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio said the days when Kush importers, producers, and elicit traders go scot-free are over and there shall be no sacred cows in their quest to decisively deal with those who are caught in the act of peddling these drugs in the country.
The announcement of making the fight against Kush a national emergency came after several calls from the people of Sierra Leone and beyond about the damages of synthetic drugs. Many youths have lost their lives to drug misuse and almost the whole country is infected by the circulation of drugs.
The Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh took up the fight against the virus by declaring no bail to anyone caught with Kush and that command sparked debate on social media that the Vice President is not mandated to give such order.
IGP, Fayia Sellu, in the National Kush Town hall, promised intensified operations under the National Drug Control Act, emphasizing harsh penalties for offenders, including seizure of property & life imprisonment with a minimum sentence of 4 to 5 years.
To ensure accountability, President Bio also said, “Given the NATIONAL EMERGENCY ON DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE, a Presidential Advisory Team will supervise the National Task Force in our quest to eradicate Kush and other lethal drugs in our communities.”
