NDLEA Arrests 129 Suspects, Seizes 282.3kg Illicit Drugs in Kogi

. Arrests female varsity student, 208 others in Edo

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja and  Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

 The Kogi State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested now fewer than 129 suspects for alleged abuse off illicit drug and  trafficking in the state.

Similarly, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, have disclosed the arrest of 209 suspected drug traffickers.

The Kogi State  Commander of the NDLEA, Umar Mustapha Yahuza, disclosed this while speaking in Lokoja at a press conference in commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking.

He explained that the Command also seized 282.314 kg of hard drugs.

The commander noted that these include Cannabis sativa, Cocaine, Tramadol, Opioids and other psychotropic substances, adding that these drugs are meant to be sold to youths in Kogi State while others are being transported to other parts of the country.

According to him, “One could imagine the level of destruction if these drugs have found their way into circulation, The Command also has secured a total of 35 convictions from January till date. The remaining cases are in their various stages of prosecution at Federal High Court, Lokoja.

“The Command, through its Drug Demand Reduction Unit, has carried out series of drug abuse awareness campaigns across the state in motor parks, schools, mosques, churches, corporate organizations among others. The unit has counseled 106 drug dependent persons who were brought to the unit in course of raid operations and were admitted on brief counseling intervention.

“A total of 40 drug dependent persons who were referred to the Command by their families were given comprehensive counseling and rehabilitation services and were discharged and reintegrated back to the society.”

Yahuza urged the Kogi State Government to fulfil it promises to construct a multipurpose of skill acquisition and drug rehabilitation centre to enable those that have been rehabilitated to become useful in the society.

Meanwhile,  operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, have disclosed the arrest of 209 suspected drug traffickers.

Among the suspects is one Miss Esther Abumere, a 28-year-old 300-level undergraduate female student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, who was found in possession of Colorado, a synthetic variant of cannabis weighing 31 grammes; cannabis loud, weighing 763 grammes; Tramadol 100 mg, 125 capsules, 50 grammes; Tramadol 200 mg, 25 tablets, 20 grammes; Tramadol 225mg, 125 tablets, 92 grammes and other Illicit drugs.

The Commander, NDLEA, Edo State Command, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this yesterday in Benin-city, capital of Edo State, while addressing journalists in commemoration of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

He said between January and June 23 this year, the command has through its evidence-led operations, apprehended a total of 209 suspected traffickers, consisting of 129 males and 80 females, adding that while two of the suspects were picked up at Ihama area of Benin GRA, the female student of AAU was arrested at the university town of Ekpoma.

He said: “In the last six months, the Edo State Command of NDLEA has arrested 209 suspected  drug traffickers, destroyed 18 cannabis farms, secured the conviction of 24 drug offenders and provided counselling and rehabilitation services to 194 and 19 clients with drug abuse disorders respectively. Other achievements include the seizure of 53,520.80 kg of cannabis, cocaine 0.0216 kg, heroin 0.0111 kg, methamphetamine 1.0775 kg, psychotropic substance 78.3473 kg, codein based syrup 191.5 litres, pentazocine injection 2.700 ampoules and 19 foil plates of cookies laced with cannabis.”

On the 300-level undergraduate, the anti-drug agency boss stated that Abumere was arrested on the June 19 during a raid at a supermarket in Ekpoma where she allegedly peddle drugs, adding that the suspect claimed she ventured into the criminal act to offset the loan she collected from a microfinance bank.

According to him, Abumere’s arrest is a strong warning to drug barons that notwithstanding the disguise, they will be smoked out.

Ofoyeju further disclosed that in the agency’s pursuit of justice, it has secured 24 convictions during the period under review, noting that of the convictions, 20 are males while four are females, with 110 pending cases in various stages of Judicial processes, “which reflect NDLEA relentless efforts to ensure that those engaged in drug offences face the full weight of the law.”

Highlighting the discovery and closure of Big Jamaya Supermarket at Ekpoma, where drugs are sold, Ofoyeju said: “The closure of such criminal premises is a positive development because Ekpoma is a university town with teeming youth population. The arrest of Abumere is a strong warning to other traffickers. We have a responsibility under the law to protect every citizen through comprehensive drug supply control and prevention.”