In the vibrant, unrelenting activities of Kano’s commercial heart where hawkers chant, engines roar, and life moves at full throttle, there’s a quiet and deadly crisis creeping beneath the surface.
It’s not an outbreak or an act of violence like thuggery that is ravaging the state. It’s a choice—one made out of desperation, misinformation, and pressure. It’s the rising abuse of sex enhancement drugs.
This growing trend, mostly hidden behind the veil of shame and societal silence is killing men with the use of pills and “herbal mixture,” in a single night.
DAILY POST gathered that while many men had died while having their time with women in many hotels, some had died ‘on top’ or still battling with complications that resulted from such sex activities influenced by enhancement drugs.
A.I. Umar, a consultant production pharmacist and Deputy Director at the Drugs Manufacturing Unit, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, confirmed to DAILY POST that the situation is now a full-blown public health emergency.
“What we’re witnessing is a reckless reliance on unregulated aphrodisiacs, especially those sold by street vendors with no medical background,” Pharmacist Umar Lamented.
“These vendors mix synthetic, prescription-strength drugs like Viagra and Vega into so-called herbal remedies, creating highly toxic and unpredictable combinations,” he warned.
The deadly mix behind closed doors
DAILY POST observes that these concoctions are marketed as natural, safe, and potent.
They are sold discreetly in bus parks, market corners, and local kiosk, often hidden in cellophane wrappers or reused plastic bottles, making it harder to be noticed.
But Pharmacist Umar said it has been confirmed that the concoctions are anything but natural.
“These are not carefully formulated blends. They are crushed pills mixed with herbs and sometimes unknown substances. No dosage. No regulation. Just guess work,” Umar explained.
He said they often resulted in cases of severe chest pain, dangerously elevated heart rates, collapse health, and in many instances, sudden death.
A culture of silence and pressure
Why are men, some as young as 20 risking it all for these concoctions?
DAILY POST observes that in a society where masculinity is often measured by sexual prowess, performance anxiety is always widespread.
Yet, open conversation about sexual health remain a taboo.
Rather than seek medical help, many resort to the most accessible alternative, the street vendor promising “guaranteed results.”
“This isn’t just a health problem,” Umar emphasized.
“It’s a cultural one. We have to question why men are turning to untested drugs instead of trained professionals. What myths are we still upholding? What insecurities are we ignoring?”
A call for action
Government regulators like NAFDAC and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria have cracked down on illegal drug hawking before but the efforts are far from enough. The market is still thriving.
Umar believes that real change requires more than law enforcement.
“Religious leaders, educators, traditional rulers, and the media all have a role to play. We must break the silence. We must teach our youth that masculinity is not defined by performance, but by self-control, knowledge, and responsibility.”
According to him; “No pleasure is worth your life.”
