The abuse of tramadol among commercial motorcycle riders has become an alarming and increasingly visible problem. Many riders openly boast that the drug gives them unusual strength, suppresses pain, and enables them to work for dangerously long hours without rest or fatigue.
I encountered one such rider, Musa Abubakar, a 27-year-old from Kano State, whom I had observed over time talking and laughing to himself. One day, I hired him to take me to my destination around the Egbeda axis of Lagos State. Midway through the journey, he suddenly burst into laughter and began speaking to no one in particular. Concerned, I asked if something was wrong. He brushed it off casually, saying nothing was wrong, he was simply happy.
On another occasion, I engaged him in a deeper conversation about his background and livelihood. With startling confidence, Musa told me he could work from 6 a.m. straight through to the following day without feeling pain or exhaustion. Curious and alarmed, I asked how this was possible. His response was shocking: he said he consumes nine tablets of tramadol daily: three in the morning, three in the afternoon, and three in the evening.
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When I asked what benefit he derived from the drug beyond suppressing fatigue, he replied simply that it makes him “feel alright.” That response alone revealed the depth of his dependency.
Even more troubling was his admission that he no longer travels back to Kano for farming, as many commercial bike riders do during off periods. When I asked why, he explained that tramadol is scarce and expensive in the North. He confessed that without the drug, he would be “useless” on the farm, as tramadol had become central to his ability to function.
According to him, tramadol is difficult to transport to the North because NDLEA operatives frequently search vehicles on major highways. This, ironically, shows that the agency is making efforts to curb drug trafficking and abuse. However, while enforcement may be stronger in some regions, the widespread availability of the drug elsewhere continues to fuel addiction.
The most chilling moment came when I asked Musa what he would do if he could no longer access tramadol. Without hesitation, he said he would be useless without it, it had become part and parcel of his life.
This is a deeply dangerous trend. Musa is not only destroying his own health but also endangering the lives of passengers and other road users, most of whom have no idea they are placing their lives in the hands of someone heavily under the influence of a powerful drug.
The abuse of tramadol among commercial riders raises urgent public safety concerns. These riders operate in busy urban environments, often navigating traffic at high speed while impaired, emotionally unstable, or detached from reality. The risk is not hypothetical, it is immediate and real.
Government agencies must intensify efforts to tackle this growing menace. Drug abuse among young people is spreading rapidly and eating deep into the fabric of society. Beyond enforcement, there must be sustained public education, rehabilitation programmes, and economic interventions that address the desperation driving many youths toward substance dependence.
If left unchecked, the consequences will be disastrous not only for those abusing these drugs but for innocent citizens whose lives are put at risk every day.
This menace must be confronted now, before more lives are destroyed and public safety further compromised.
Written by Festus Edovia, anipr, ficm
