As the Sierra Leone Police intensify raids on “Kush” ghettos, arrest traffickers at checkpoints, and push for expedited drug-related trials, sociologist and researcher Salim Alghali has voiced skepticism over the sustainability of the ongoing anti-drug operations.
In an exclusive mobile interview from the United Kingdom on Thursday, October 30, 2025, Mr. Alghali — who has studied the social causes and effects of drug addiction — described the current crackdown as a “temporary reaction” rather than a sustained national strategy.
“I have little trust that this is the right path,” Alghali said. “This is not the first time the police have launched a campaign of this nature. During President Bio’s administration, similar raids were carried out, but they soon faded. Less than a month later, the momentum died down, and the police relaxed.”
He questioned the silence of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the absence of a long-term plan to dismantle the drug supply chain. While acknowledging the current police effort in the Western Area, he expressed doubts about the agency’s capacity to cover over two hundred communities in the region.
“Why now? Why not a continuous process?” he asked. “The roots of the problem remain untouched. The main suppliers are still operating quietly. Until the big dealers and their aides are captured, these raids will only scratch the surface.”
Alghali also cautioned against politicizing or tribalizing the fight against drugs, stressing that the issue cuts across all sectors of society.
“If you ask about the ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation of those arrested, you will find they come from all tribes and all political parties,” he noted. “That’s why the drug fight must be collective and free from bias.”
He added that real progress would require consistent effort over a prolonged period.
According to him, “If the operation lasts 90 days, it will mark the beginning of recovery; 160 days, the roots of change may appear; 300 days, we’ll see real transformation; and after 600 days, those who survive withdrawal may turn their lives around — or, sadly, some may turn to stronger narcotics.”
Concluding his remarks, Alghali emphasized that the battle against Kush is a “lifelong war” that demands not just arrests, but rehabilitation, education, and community reform.
“This is not just a police operation — it’s a social war,” he said. “The fight against Kush must be continuous, strategic, and collective if we are to win.”
