Kogi Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday said it arrested 184 suspects in connection with drug-related offences from January to December.
Alhaji Idris Bello, the Commander of the agency in Kogi, who disclosed this in a statement in Lokoja said a total seizure of 6,821.424 kg of illicit drugs was recorded during the period.
Bello said that 11 vehicles of various brands used in the transporting the illicit drugs were impounded, adding that of the 6,821.4 seized drugs, cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) accounted for 6,793.8kg, while the rest 27.5kg were psychotropic substances.
He said that the command also destroyed four “massive cannabis sativa farms” measuring approximately 35 acres in a large-scale operation involving the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Police on Ogori-Magongo hills.
One Isaac Bello, believed to be the owner of the farms, was arrested on the farm.
He said that the agency secured the conviction of 16 suspects after due prosecution in the law court, adding that five of the suspects awaiting trial in Koton-Karfe Prisons including Isaac Bello, escaped during the Oct. 2, jail break.
The command, he said “successfully destroyed by burning, a total of 13,272.209kg hard drugs on Oct. 18 at Zagon-Daji area of Lokoja and was witnessed by the Chairman of the NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade and Gov. Idris Wada, among other dignitaries.
Bello disclosed that in the area of Drug Demand Reduction (DDR), 85 drug-dependent persons underwent short intervention while three were rehabilitated.
The commander described Kogi as a drug transit state, adding that traffickers had always invented ingenious means of concealing their illicit wares but the command had always foiled “even the best of their efforts”.
He commended other security agencies in the state for their cooperation in the agency’s fight against illicit drugs in the areas of suspects transfer and intelligence sharing and the media for their awareness creation and adequate publicity.
Bello however reiterated the agency’s call on the state government to assist the command with necessary logistics, including vehicles and adequate office accommodation as well as provision of a rehabilitation centre for drug-dependent persons.
He thanked members of the public for their patriotism and urged them to continue to volunteer useful information that could lead to the arrest of illicit drug dealers.
“The malaise of drug trafficking and drug abuse is very real,’’ he said. (NAN)
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