The execution of drug traffickers in Indonesia

The Nigerians among them were Raheem Salami, Silvester Nwolise, Okwudili Oyatanze and  Martin Anderson.Indonesia said it took the hard stance because of the country’s own drug problem where 33 of its citizens die every day as a result of drugs, according to Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency.I wish this will serve as a lesson to other […]

The Nigerians among them were Raheem Salami, Silvester Nwolise, Okwudili Oyatanze and  Martin Anderson.
Indonesia said it took the hard stance because of the country’s own drug problem where 33 of its citizens die every day as a result of drugs, according to Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency.
I wish this will serve as a lesson to other drug traffickers because while some countries may be lenient on drug traffickers some countries have death penalty for drug trafficking, so they should stop the crime all together.
But I know that some would still go ahead, probably after being assured by traditional medicine men or spiritualists, ritualists and what have you that they can pass security agents  undetected,  making millions of naira, while ruining the lives of other people.
The love for easy money and greed would continue to inspire some people, as they would never be deterred from that pursuit no matter the criminality of the way they make it.
Yet some countries are also as adamant and serious in their unforgiving laws. And nothing can prevent them from carrying out their laws to protect their citizens from the consequences of taking drugs.
I wish Nigeria would have a harsh law against drug traffickers even if it is not execution. As I mentioned not quite long in this column, I have a morbid fear of people taking drugs.
The get-rich-quick traffickers sell drugs to people without giving a thought that they are ruining the people’s lives and their families’. The moment a person goes into drugs, his parents or guardians would never have  rest of mind.
The drug addicts start to steal, become armed robbers and engage in fighting with dangerous weapons.
Just recently a young man stabbed another at the back with a long knife. The victim lay down with blood oozing out, drenching his shirt and trousers, but the person that stabbed him didn’t show any remorse. In fact he was belligerent, saying he did nothing wrong, as the victim came to steal in his room. But they are friends and they take drugs.
Assuming that the victim died, it is clearly the effect of taking drugs that would have led to his death.
There was a time one drug addict kept threatening to kill his widowed mother until her brother took her away from the town.
In another case, three sons of one woman became drug addicts and  have never become useful to themselves, let alone to the society. The mother lived a miserable life, seeing how her sons have become a source of disgrace to her instead of pride and happiness.
Someone told me about one young man and also a drug addict who has started to  run around the street in madness.
Besides, if you go to a psychiatric hospital the doctors would tell you that most of the patients are there because of drugs, not ‘spirits’ as many assume as the normal cause of mental illness.
However, some people say that drug traffickers or pushers don’t force people to buy the drugs so they are not entirely to blame.
But as far as I am concerned nothing can exonerate them from blame. For instance if their ‘business’ is legitimate and not harmful, why should they go to some extent of hiding the drugs even in their stomachs?  Why wouldn’t they carry it freely in a hand luggage?
So they know it is a wicked thing aimed at ruining lives and societies in order for them to get rich. But they become   remorseful only after being caught.
Many say that they do it to raise money for their dwindling business; some women would say they do it to send their children to school and so on.
There should be unrelenting war against drugs and drug traffickers. They are in our local communities and the police know where they are and make occasional raids on the drug users, but the drug barons and traffickers may be safe somewhere, smiling to the bank.
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is doing a lot, but it is beyond it, parents, schools, communities should all be more vigilant to fight the menace of drugs. We need productive people, not those that become useless and a liability the society.