Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Taraba State Command has revealed that it arrested 107 suspected drug traffickers in the state between January and June 2023.
Within the same period, according to the agency, a total of 1,067,423 kg of various banned substances were seized in the state.
The Taraba State Commandant of NDLEA, Mr. Nanzing Sallah, who disclosed this in Jalingo, yesterday, at the grand finale celebration of the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking further revealed that seven of the suspects had been convicted to various jail terms.
The remaining suspects, according to the Commandant, were being prosecuted at the Federal High Court in Jalingo just as he expressed optimism that the Court would do justice to the cases.
Sallah noted that one of the suspects was a woman while the seized substances included Cannabis Sativa and other psychotropic substances.
Enumerating the challenges being faced by the agency in the war against drug abuse and trafficking in the state, Nanzing urged communities to provide useful information on drug-related matters to the Command, saying the agency cannot achieve its mandate without the support and cooperation of the public.
He equally listed inadequate operational vehicles and logistics as well as lack of adequate office accommodation as major challenges hindering the smooth operation and effectiveness of the agency in the state.
Furthermore, he lamented incessant attack on men and officers of the agency in the course of carrying out their mandates and therefore issued a stern warning that the Agency would no longer condone such affront.
Sallah appealed to the state government and others well to do individuals and organisations to come to the aid of the agency, stressing that it was imperative for the state government to collaborate and demonstrate their partnership in the war against drug abuse.
Also speaking, the first lady of the state, Mrs. Agyin Kefas, who was decorated by the Commandant as Grand Patron of the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), expressed readiness to join forces with the agency to bring drug abuse to an end in the state.
Mrs. Kefas pledged to donate a rehabilitation centre to the agency where drug addicts would be properly catered for and receive counseling that would help them to quit drugs permanently.
