Curbing drug consumption, violence in schools: Special police unit for security of schools, universities promises to intensify fight.

The visit to the school was part of activities to showcase the activities and role of the CSESU in the fight against drug consumption and violence in schools. The officers of CSESU visited classrooms to sensitise students about the negative effects of drugs. 

They told the students that the consumption of drugs has physical and mental consequences on their health and could also jeopardise their future.  

While reminding students that drug consumption provokes violence, the officers urged them to stay away from bad friends, remain disciplined and focus on their studies as future leaders of tomorrow. 

One of the highpoints of the visit was a random search in one of the classrooms. Students were properly searched with some of them caught in possession of dangerous objects such as needles, mirrors, a set of playing cards and a condom.

Those identified as owners of these objects, it was revealed, would be brought over for questioning at the CSESU headquarters and will also sign an undertaking. 

Officers of CSESU searching bags of students in classrooms 

Speaking to the press at the end of the exercise, the Commander of the special unit reiterated that their mission is to fight and eradicate the consumption of drugs and violence in the school milieu. 

The CSESU Commander revealed that although the results recorded over the years have been very fruitful, they have to remain vigilant as students continue to adopt new strategies to smuggle drugs on campus.

“The challenge is that the children change their tactics every day. We are here to know what they are doing and see how to counteract them. When we catch them this way, they go the other way but we are trained for that,” CSESU boss said. 

He went further to add that: “We have been doing a great job. This is because if you look at the rate of violence, you will rarely hear of a student who has stabbed the teacher. It is very rare these days because we fight this. We search them when they come to school, we search them in classes”. 

Senior Superintendent of Police Fritz Mafani Wole seized the occasion to remind parents to observe their children in the house. “…they should follow them on a daily basis,”, said. 

The police official also encouraged them to “check the rooms, search their bags because at times they bring dangerous objects from the house”. 

Enter school principal 

Speaking earlier, the Principal of GBHS Mimboman Ngolle III Catherine Desiree, hailed the fruitful collaboration that has been established between the school and the CSESU. 

The school administrator said thanks to their commendable efforts, they have been able to reduce the amount of drug consumption in their school. 

She also added that they have been sensitising the students on the effects of drug consumption which has yielded fruits. 

“Mimboman is a very difficult quarter, and at certain moments, we have foreigners coming into school with uniforms but they are not students. But the CSESU has been very helpful not just in apprehending some of the foreigners but also, they do rounds in the classrooms which has really helped,” the principal said. 

CSESU Commander, Senior Superintendent of Police Fritz Mafani Wole, speaking to the press 

Seized objects presented to press 

Before the CSESU officers visited GBHS Mimboman, they had presented a consignment of drugs and other harmful objects they seized from students after their search. 

According to Police Inspector Yiwiri Felix, the weapons and drugs were recovered thanks to the collaboration of the teachers and principals of schools. 

The objects include cutlasses, machetes, knives, toy guns, razor blades, and scissors. They said these weapons are often used after students consume drugs. Some of these weapons they said are used against their classmates and teachers. 

Some bangles were also seized. According to the CSESU officer, these bangles are used to identify buyers of drugs or the vendor. Yiwiri added that cannabis, tramadol, shisha, electronic shisha cigarettes, and condoms were also seized.