Interventions to checkmate mkpuru mmiri.
3 min read
There is a raging fire going on in almost the entire Igboland. The fire if left unchecked will destroy and kill a good number of Igbo youths. Last week, Umuaka Times got a handful of reports on how the fire known as mkpuru mmiri MM(methamphetamine Hydrochloride) is holding Igbo youths hostage, destroying and killing them. Many communities whose youths have been associated with the selling and consumption of MM have embarked on several intervention programs on how to curb the madness of MM. A couple of weeks ago, Umuaka Times Institute UTI, the whatsapp group of Umuaka Times newspaper received several video clips of many youths including females, tied to trees, pillars or poles and flogged by people. Those who were flogged were said to be selling or smoking MM. Umuaka Times outrightly condemns the use of flogging, human rights violation and illegality to treat the victims or sellers of MM.
“Students” of UTI who watched the trending videos took time to discuss the modality to be used to fight the menace in Umuaka. Some were of the opinion that flogging the suspects was the right answer while some others bluntly rejected the option of flogging because it violates the human rights of the suspects. This set of people also argued that to flog the suspects who are also victims is using illegality to fight illegality and it may somehow result to death unexpectedly.
Another form of control or intervention which had prominence in Umuaka Times Institute was the idea of using a dialogue method to fight the crisis. Many people were of the view that both the sellers and consumers would be invited for round table discussions where deliberations and compromises would be eventually established on how to stop the trend. From the way Akalites made their contributions last week towards the eradication of MM in Umuaka Municipal Council last week, Akalites are totally ready to save their youths by showing them the path out of MM business and destruction. They called on presidents-general, royal fathers, women leaders as well as youth leaders to start holding meetings immediately and without delay in order to begin the fight against MM.
Lesley Agams, the executive director of Women’s Crisis Centre did her best last week when she informed the “students ” of Umuaka Times Institute that her NGO will be pleased to assist in the fight.
How to identify an mkpuru mmiri addict.
A report Umuaka Times stumbled upon last week has the following:
How Can You Know Someone Who Is Addicted?
According to WebMD, these are the signs of someone with serious meth addiction? Tattered dressing and shabby looks. Always picking at hair or skin. Loss of appetite and weight loss. Moving Eyes about every time. Strange sleeping patterns — staying up for days or even weeks at a time. Always Talking, Nonstop. Borrowing money often. Selling possessions, or stealing. Angry outbursts or mood swings. Psychotic behavior, such as paranoia and hallucinations.
