ASATU Demands State Of Emergency On ‘Mkpuru Mmiri’ 

Raymond Ozoji,  Awka

Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) has passionately appealed to the state government to declare a state of emergency on crystal meth commonly called ‘Mkpuru mmiri’ in local parlance in the South-East region of Nigeria.

ASATU made the appeal at a special session of the executive arm of the association at its secretariat complex government house Awka.

The special session which revolved around the terminal consequences and tragedy associated with indulging in the peddling and consumption of Mkpuru mmiri, afforded presidents-general of various communities ample opportunity to share experiences of the damages the illicit drug has done to youths.

The special meeting of the ASATU executive arm was also a veritable platform for the community leaders to proffer lasting solutions to the scourge of the deadly substance ravaging young people in the rural areas.

Comrade Bonny Ozo Nkwuaku, the National Liaison Officer Anambra-Central senatorial zone and President-General Enugwu-Ukwu community in Njikoka local government area of Anambra state, said no community in Anambra state was spared of the devastating and debilitating effects of ‘Mkpuru mmiri’ such that addicts don’t live up to two years before they eventually die.

Nkwuaku said Mkpuru mmiri has no cure yet; rather it makes the addict become insane and erratic, and goes about raping women and commiting all sorts of evils and immoralities. He however suggested that ASATU should be empowered to go after the dealers and peddlers of the drug in the communities while the police guarantee their confidentiality

Also, the President-General Nkpor Development Union Worldwide, Chief Ogbueshi Emeka Innocent Mbagha, said the substance had made many boys in the area gone completely mad because they consumed it.  Mbagha said ASATU required the support of the state government to be able to fight the fight against it.

Although he said they didn’t support the idea of flogging the suspect, he informed that people took to flogging as panacea to momentary madness caused by the illicit drug. He suggested too that Mkpuru mmiri addicts should be quarantined for them to undergo gradual rehabilitation from insanity.

On the other hand, Chief Coleman Uba, President-General Ichida Progress Union, observed that Anambra state was losing its youths to Mkpuru mmiri. Uba therefore suggested that a taskforce comprising all facets of ASATU, the Police, DSS, NDLEA and some others should be set up to  frontally tackle the menace.

National Liaison Officer ASATU South senatorial zone and President-General Aguluezechukwu Amb. Ikechukwu Okeke explained that there was need to allow every PG have jurisdictions to arrest dealers of Mkpuru mmiri in other communities to drastically curtail spread and consumptions. Okeke also added that he did not support the idea of recording a video of an addict being flogged and posted on the social media as it portrayed the entire southeast in a very bad light.

The National Community Women leader ASATU Women Wing Lady Franca Nwigbo suggested that the first step to tackling the menace was for communities to set up committees to fish out sellers and consumers of Mkpuru mmiri. She also made case for close observance of children for early detection of influence of the drug on a child’s behaviour, noting that psychiatric hospital Nawfia is filled with boys and girls mentally deranged as a result taking Mkpuru mmiri.

Furthermore, the National president of ASATU and President-General Eziowele community Chief Barr. Titus Nnabuike Akpudo said if nothing was done in the next one year to eradicate the hard substance from communities, many youths might begin to walk the streets stark naked. He said the consumption of the deadly substance was of no value to youths and would bring no development in all ramifications.

According to the national president, ASATU has taken a firm position on the matter; that the problem is seriously retarding progress and destroying future leaders.

Akpudo, who read resolutions of the special session of ASATU executive arm, said that the PGs and all the community leaders were mandated to set up and inaugurate monitoring and enforcement committees in the various communities to fish out, arrest and hand over suspects to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

He said that the committees would compile names of suspects and addicts of this substance and submit to NDLEA through ASATU office. The committees will also organise orientation programmes to sensitise youths on the need to shun drugs or taking substances that will destroy them.

Akpudo maintained that ASATU would work closely with the state government to eradicate the deadly virus threatening peace in the communities. He said the PGs were required to submit monthly reports of the committees to assess progress in the war against the menace. According to him, ASATU will sanitize the communities not only for Christmas but also for the good of all and sundry.