If you walk down any busy street in Nigeria, you’ll hear all kinds of slang, some playful, some sharp, and some carrying heavy truths. One area where slang has become both popular and dangerous is in the way people talk about drugs.

Instead of calling them by their real names, many use coded nicknames, sometimes to sound cool, other times to hide what’s really going on.

These nicknames aren’t just slang. They’re signals, codes, and warnings. Understanding them might help you save a life, yours or someone else’s.

Here are some popular dangerous street drug nicknames currently being used across Nigeria

Ice

This is methamphetamine in disguise. It gives users a rush of energy, like wire just shocked their body. But once the high fades, serious depression often sets in. It’s one of the most dangerous highs with one of the hardest crashes.

Gutter Water

Don’t let the name fool you, it is no ordinary water. Gutter Water is a toxic mix where codeine syrup is combined with other drugs. People sip it like it’s juice, but it’s slowly destroying their liver and kidney without any loud signs, until it’s too late.

Lamba

When someone says they’ve “dropped Lamba,” it usually means they’ve taken Colorado, a synthetic version of weed. Unlike the natural stuff, this one is known to twist the brain fast. One moment you’re high, the next you’re seeing things that don’t exist.

Pills

This is the umbrella term for tablets like Tramadol, Rohypnol, or Diazepam. They may look small, but their impact is heavy. They attack the brain first, dulling reality, creating fake calm, and eventually frying the mind.

Skunk

Skunk isn’t your average weed. It’s an upgraded, more potent version. One joint of skunk can trigger panic attacks, hallucinations, and even long-term mental instability. Some never fully return to normal after using it.

Skoochies

This one is a wicked cocktail, mixing codeine, Tramadol, alcohol, and sometimes weed. It’s the ultimate “mad mix.” People drink it for fun but end up in hospitals or even dead. Street corners have seen too many fall from this combo.

Loud

Despite the name, it doesn’t make life louder or better. “Loud” was once just strong weed, but many sellers now lace it with synthetic chemicals. What you smoke might not be what you think, and your brain may not recover from it.

Monkey Tail

Sounds funny, but it’s deadly. Monkey Tail is a dangerous homemade blend of local gin (ogogoro) and drugs. It’s cheap, popular in some communities, but it silently kills the liver, leaving long-term users with permanent internal damage.

Rephnol

This is the street version of Rohypnol, also known as “forget-me pill.” Some people use it to lace drinks, others take it to “sleep well.” But its effects on memory, coordination, and brain function are severe. A few pills too many and you’re gone.

Solution

This one is heartbreaking. Users sniff rubber glue or super glue fumes just to get high. Mostly found in poorer communities, this “Solution” offers a temporary escape but permanently damages the brain. It’s cheap, deadly, and sadly growing in popularity.

What you should know

Every single one of these drugs starts with curiosity, peer pressure, or the desire to “feel good for a while.” But the damage they leave behind is real—lives ruined, minds lost, families broken.

The street doesn’t issue warnings before it destroys. Know these names, and try to avoid, before it’s too late.