The Kogi State Command of National Drug Law and Enforcement (NDLEA) has destroyed the largest cannabis sativa farm in Kogi state.
The farm, spanning over four kilometres, in Kara forest, Agboteke community, Igalamela-Odolu local government area of Kogi state, is estimated to worth N1.5 billion.
The State Commander, Mr. Alfred Adewumi, who disclosed this while speaking with journalists during the destruction of the farm on Wednesday, stated that Kogi state is gradually being turned into a producer of illicit drug.
Adewunmi expressed worry over the changing status of Kogi State from a transit point for illicit drugs to cultivation. He said he could not believe what the command saw in the farm.
“I want to tell you that I am astounded, shocked and perplexed that something as huge and enormous as this can be discovered in Kogi state.
“Our assumption is that Kogi state, even though it is surrounded by some states that are notorious for cannabis sativa cultivation, is just simply a transit point because of her strategic location, but, to discover that within Kogi State we can have plantation of this huge proportion is something that has shocked me to the marrow,” he said.
Adewumi told journalists that the startling discovery was as result of intelligence gathered by the operatives of the command who had placed the suspect on surveillance and was subsequently arrested.
“I will simply tell you that it is a very enormous plantation of cannabis sativa. It is not just one single farmland. And of course, all of you have been on my entourage and we have walked within farms for over four kilometres and we are still within the farms. So to begin to describe what I have seen today is simply to tell you that I am shocked that Kogi State is now being used as a place where cannabis sativa is being cultivated so extensively.”
He explained further that it was actually a community that was cultivating cannabis sativa in this forest, adding that it was community business where over four kilometres of arable land were dedicated for cultivation of the illicit drug.
“I must tell you that what we have here is far in excess of the 10- hectares of cannabis sativa farmland, in excess of the 7.5 hectares of cannabis sativa we discovered sometimes in mid September. If you put all of these farms together you will see we will be talking of over 35 hectares of cannabis sativa plantations. To begin to talk about the market value, to be frank with you we are talking about more than N1.5billion of cultivated illicit drugs her,” he added.
Adewumi commended the Kogi state government for the support given to the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency in the state to even be able to embark on this destruction exercise, adding that without the support of the state government, the command won’t have been able to achieve this great mileage in combating drug problems in the state.
He stated that the suspect, Ameh Joseph will soon be charged to court, adding that those involved in cannabis sativa should desist as the command would leave no stone unturned towards ridding the state of illicit use and cultivation of drugs.
The suspect, Ameh Joseph in an interview with Journalists said he is the owner of a section of the farms.
Ameh said he ventured into cannabis sativa business when he had economic crisis. He explained that he had once been employed as farm manager in charge of cannabis sativa at Ogbese in Ondo State in 1995 with yearly salary of N85, 000 and N100, 000.
He said when he returned, he ventured into good business until recently when it nose dived forcing him to engage in cultivation of cannabis sativa.
The suspect who was full of regret said he would never go back to the cannabis business again, warning other youths not to involve in any illegal business because it will backfire one day.
