How operatives arrest 205 drug trafficking suspects in Ondo/Ekiti Command: NDLEA

*Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency explains how 30,593kg of hard drugs, comprising 1,849.7kg of psychotropic substances were seized and a total of 302 hectares of cannabis sativa farms destroyed in six months

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Ondo-Ekiti, (Zone J Command), has stated how its operatives arrested 205 illicit drug trafficking suspects and seized 18,735.058 kilogrammes of various drugs within the last six months.

ConsumerConnect reports Parah Bawa, Zonal Commander, Assistant Commander-General of Narcotics, said this at a press conference, Monday, June 20, 2022, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Col. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA

According to Bawa, the 205 suspects comprised 161 males and 44 females, and 37 convictions had already been secured and recorded.

Bawa explained the news conference was to kick start a series of week-long activities ahead of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking slated for June 26.

He also said: “The zonal command structure took effect from November 2021.

“The scorecard of the two states constituting the Zone from November 2021 to May 2022 is quite encouraging

“For example, during this period, Ondo State Command recorded a seizure of 14,048.501 kilogrammes of assorted drugs, arrested 127 suspects comprising of 100 males and 27 females and convicted 29 at the Federal High Court.”

Bawa further noted: “Ekiti on the other hand, seized 4,686.557 kilogrammes of assorted drugs, arrested 78 suspects comprising 61 males and 17 females, while 8 were convicted.

“So, total drug seizure made by the Zone during the period under review is 18,735.058 kilogrammes with 205 suspects arrested comprising of 161 males and 44 females with 37 convicted.”

Likewise, Mr. Mumuni Raji, Ondo State NDLEA Commander, said that between June 2021 and May 2022, about  294 suspects were arrested.

Raji said the suspects comprised 270 males and 24 females with 65 convictions achieved at the Federal High Court, Akure.

According to him, 30,593 kilogrammes of hard drugs were intercepted, comprising 1,849.7 kilogrammes of psychotropic substances, while a total of 302 hectares of cannabis sativa farms were located and destroyed within the period.

He stated: “Our Drug Demand Reduction Unit in the command rehabilitated 17 drug-dependent persons and they have all been discharged and reintegrated back to the society, while 167 were counseled and released.

“There are still many in our rehabilitation centre undergoing counselling and rehabilitation.”

The NDLEA Commandant noted: “Having reeled off the modest achievements recorded by the Command in stemming the tide of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Ondo State and the country at large.

“I wish to call on all and sundry to support the NDLEA in this onerous task.”

Raji further said that it was important to correlate the current high rate of drug abuse in the country to the rising rape, kidnapping and banditry crimes.

“The higher the drug abuse rate, the higher the crime rate and vice versa,”   Raji stated.

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