The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
has said that at least, 20 persons have been convicted for trafficking
illicit drugs in the last one year.
The number of convictions, according to
the law enforcement agency, came from 246 suspects arrested for the
offence in Edo State within one year.
NDLEA also said that over 116 million
hectares of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) farms were destroyed while 29,
516kg of different types of hard drugs had been seized.
The
State Commander of the NDLEA, Buba Wakawa, who disclosed this at the
2015 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking
in Benin, explained that the convictions and arrests were secured within
an assessment period of June 26, 2014 to June 26, 2015.
Wakawa noted that as part of efforts
aimed at reducing the demand for illicit substances in the state, 126
drug-dependent persons had been counselled, rehabilitated and
re-integrated into the society.
The commander, however, called for a
sustainable collaboration with the state government and members of the
public to enable the agency to achieve its objectives.
“Members of the public must be sensitive
and report suspicious drug activities in their neighbourhood, which
will help in ensuring that every drug trafficker is arrested and
prosecuted.
“May I also use this opportunity to
appeal to the Edo State Drug Abuse Control Committee, through the
Ministry of Health to partner with us in the planning and implementation
of (illicit drug trafficking) eradication programmes,” Wakawa added.
In a lecture on the prevention of
disorders induced by illicit drug, a specialist at the Federal
Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Benin, Dr. OlaniyiAyilara, stressed the need
for the provision of improved public healthcare facilities to promote
early diagnosis and rehabilitation of affected persons.
Ayilara also called for effective legislation to aid in the reduction and eradication of the illicit use of drugs and alcohol.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA in Akwa-Ibom State,
has also announced the seizure of nine bags of marijuana; bottles of
marijuana mixed with locally-made gin along with heroin and cocaine from
dealers in Atai-Otoro, Abak Local Government Area.
Seized was also a box containing illicit drugs, which were allegedly transported from Benin, Edo State to AkwaIbom.
The state NDLEA commander, Mr. Shadow
Gaura, told journalists in Uyo on Thursday that the raid was carried out
to dislodge those who had been engaging in illicit drugs, including
some youths who were said to have ignorantly consumed the narcotics.
“All these nine bags including the
briefcase box contain Indian hemp seized from various places during our
routine raid operations. These nine bags were apprehended in
Attai-Otoro, Abak Local Government Area.
“Because of the intensity of our
operations here in Uyo, the dealers have run to the villages where they
continue with the illegal business but unfortunately, their customers
still trace them through their network to those villages to buy these
drugs,” he said.
The Commander said the event was also to
commemorate the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking.
He said the theme of the event was, “Let’s Develop Our Lives, Our Communities, Our Identities Without Drugs.”
He lamented that the rate at which the
youths in the state consume narcotics and other illicit drugs was
alarming, adding that something needed to be done to salvage them.
He urged parents to monitor their wards and friends so that they could prevent them from abusing drug.
Gaura observed that while parents were
busy investing in the positive growth and well-being oftheir children,
drug abuse might make this possible.
He said, “We are combing those hideouts
and we are recording huge successes through arrest of culprits, even
some of them who succeed and come back to town with the drugs, would be
intercepted by our men. All those we apprehended, have been charged to
court.”
In a similar event to commemorate the
international day against drug abuse held in Cross River State, the
NDLEA said 185 suspects were arrested with drug in the state.
The state Commander of NDLEA, Mrs.
AnthoniaEdeh, said the suspects were arrested with drug exhibit
totalling 1.4 tonnes of cannabis sativa, 6.4035kg of cocaine and 18g of
heroin.
According to her, the arrested suspects include 175 male and 10 females.
Antonia added that the command’s
anti-narcotic efforts also led to the discovery of 4.741 acres of
cannabis sativa farmlands at Abijan, EtungLocal Government Area of the
state, which the agency later destroyed.
The NDLEA commander pegged the street value of the drugs seized as N1.1m and the destroyed farms as N70m.
The NDLEA commander added, “Also we
counselled seventy drug dependent persons while nine referrals were
fully rehabilitated and reintegrated back to their families.
“Drugs are threat to the environment and
illicit drug trafficking undermines governance, institutions and
societal cohesion. On this international day against drug abuse and
illicit trafficking we therefore re-affirm our commitment to this shared
responsibility within our communities and among the family and
Nations.”
The NDLEA Commander in Niger State, Mr.
Iweajunwa Okechukwu, also said on Friday that the country has the
highest number of persons serving various jail terms for drug related
offences worldwide.
He said during the international day
against drug abuse programme in the state that Niger has a serious issue
of drug abuse especially the prescription drugs and psychotropic
substances such as Tramadol, Rohypnol and Diazepam.
According to him other drugs abused in
the state include Librium, cough syrup brands with codeine, Sukudia
(suck and die), glue, solutions, petrol, gutter dirt, Zakami, lizard
dung and cannabis sativa (Indian hemp).
Okechukwu explained that the harmful habit was common among the youth, married women, secondary and primary school pupils.
He urged parents, teachers, religious
leaders, state government and traditional leaders to see drug abuse as a
societal problem that must be tackled.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Commands of
the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in collaboration with the
Federal Road Safety Corps has initiated a move to check drug abuse among
drivers, motorists and other road users in the state.
The agencies warned that the use of
alcohol and drugs while driving had dispatched many motorists and
drivers to their early graves.
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