The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in
collaboration with the National Public Health Agency, the Sierra Leone Police, and military personnel, has launched a three-day nationwide operation to combat the spread of kush and other illicit substances across Sierra Leone.
Speaking at the launch in Freetown, NDLEA Executive Director Andrew Jaiah KaiKai said the operation aims to combine public education, law enforcement, and rehabilitation as part of a coordinated national response to the escalating drug crisis that has ravaged communities across the country.
According to Mr. KaiKai, the first two days of the operation will focus on community engagement and sensitization, educating the public about the dangers of drug use, the risks associated with selling or harboring drug dealers, and the need for collective action.
“This fight cannot be won by the government alone,” Mr. KaiKai stressed. “It requires everyone—from parents and teachers to local leaders and religious institutions—to take a stand against drugs in our communities.”
On the final day, NDLEA will begin rehabilitating drug users through existing and newly established rehabilitation centres, while arresting drug dealers and destroying drug dens identified during earlier stages of the campaign.
Mr. KaiKai also revealed that more rehabilitation centres are being opened nationwide to help recovering users reintegrate into society, emphasizing that the agency’s mission is “not only to punish offenders but to save lives.”
The NDLEA’s latest move comes amid what public health experts now describe as a “Kushdemic”—a synthetic drug epidemic that has claimed hundreds of young lives across Sierra Leone.
Recent data from the Freetown City Council (FCC) revealed a shocking 220 kush-related deaths recorded between January and September 2025, a number that has overwhelmed city mortuaries and forced the council to suspend corpse collection due to bureaucratic disputes.
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr described the crisis as “an unfolding national tragedy,” noting that the city’s corpse collection has shifted from “occasional” to “almost daily.”
The government’s response has also been marred by controversy. Earlier this month, it was reported that a container of seized kush, intercepted at Queen Elizabeth II Quay in May 2025, had disappeared from police custody, sparking public outrage and calls for an independent investigation.
Additionally, the recent removal of Chief Superintendent M.K. Allieu as head of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU)—the police unit handling drug trafficking cases—has fueled speculation about internal accountability challenges within law enforcement.
The NDLEA has called on citizens to support the new nationwide operation by reporting suspected drug dealers and participating in local awareness efforts to curb drug abuse and trafficking.
“This campaign is not just about enforcement; it’s about reclaiming our communities and saving our youth,” Mr. KaiKai said.
As the operation enters its second phase, expectations are high that it will bring renewed energy and public trust to Sierra Leone’s intensifying fight against the kush epidemic.
