By Tola Gbadamosi
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Zone J command, said it has seized 18,735.058kg of drugs with 205 suspects arrested within six months Zone J comprises of Ondo and Ekiti States.
The Zonal Commander, Zone J, Assistant Commander General of Narcotics, Parah Bawa, made the disclosure to The Hope Metro during a Press Conference at the Zonal headquarters in Akure.
Bawa stated that the 205 suspects arrested comprised of 161 males and 44 females with 37 convictions recorded.
According to Bawa, the news conference is to kick start the week-long activities ahead of June 26, which is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
“The Zonal Command structure took effect from November 2021. The performance score card of the two States constituting the Zone from November 2021 to May 2022 is quite encouraging.
“For example, during this period, Ondo State Command recorded a seizure of 14,048.501 kgs of assorted drugs of abuse, arrested 127 suspects comprising of 100 males and 27 females and convicted 29 at the Federal High Court.
“Ekiti on the other hand, seized 4,686.557kg of assorted drugs, arrested 78 suspects comprising of 61 males and 17 females whilst 8 were convicted.
“So, total drug seizure made by the Zone during the period under review is 18,735.058kg, with 205 suspects arrested, comprising of 161 males and 44 females with 37 convicted,” he said.
Also addressing newsmen, the Ondo State Commander of NDLEA, Mr Mumuni Raji said between June 2021 and May 2022, 294 suspects have been arrested; comprising 270 males and 24 females with 65 convictions achieved through Federal High Court, Akure.
Raji said that 30,593 kilograms of hard drugs were seized, comprising of 1,849.7 kilograms of psychotropic substance with a total of 302 hectares of cannabis sativa farms being located and destroyed within the period.
“Our Drug Demand Reduction Unit in the command rehabilitated 17 drug dependant persons and they have all been discharged and reintegrated back to the society, while 167 were counselled and released.
“There are still many in our Rehabilitation Centre undergoing counselling and rehabilitation.
“Having reeled out the modest achievements recorded by the command in stemming the tides of drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Ondo State and the country at large, I wish to call on all and sundry to support the NDLEA in this onerous task,” he said.
Raji said it was important to draw attention to the current high rate of rape, kidnapping, banditry in the country, saying, “the higher the drug abuse, the higher the crime rate, and vice versa.”
Raji finally advised parents to be more vigilant of their wards to ensure they don’t fall in the hands of drug users.
