A serving police officer, identified as Joshua Eyong, was among three persons flogged by youths in Nkpolu community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, over alleged involvement in drug abuse.
The incident followed a community-led campaign tagged “No to Drug Abuse” launched by the Nkpolu youth leadership in response to the rising cases of substance abuse in the area.
According to reports, the youths stormed a suspected drug hideout where they apprehended Eyong and two others. In a video circulating online, the officer identified himself as a serving policeman in the Obio/Akpor division and even displayed his service ID card. He did not deny the allegations leveled against him by the youths.
Nkpolu Youth President, Owhonda Chamberlain, said the action was part of their collective resolve to rid the community of drug abuse. He lamented that many young people in the area had destroyed their lives and sold off family property due to addiction.
“There is a campaign going on in our community headed by the youths of Nkpolu, following the powers given to me as the youth president to ensure that there are no drugs in our community,” Chamberlain said.
He explained that some families had been torn apart as addicts exchanged valuable homes for drug money.
“We discovered that some of our children do not have homes. They sell their parents’ houses just to sustain drug habits. What they do is, after taking drugs worth N3 million, they sell their house for N4 million, and the drug dealer gives them only N1 million,” he said.
Chamberlain stressed that the community had resolved to end the menace of drug trafficking and abuse within Nkpolu.
“Nkpolu has decided that there will be no drug dealer, no drug smoker in our community again. If you want to take drugs, go to Rumuaghorlu or to hotels, but not here,” he declared.