By Adeboye Ado
No fewer than 25 suspected drug dealers have been arrested in Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State following a coordinated security operation targeting drug dens in the area.
The joint operation, conducted in the early hours of Wednesday, involved operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); the Amotekun Corps, Forest Guards, and members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC).
The exercise, tagged Operation Sweep, was supervised by the Chairman of Akoko North East Local Government, Hon. Mohammed Mutiu Olawale.
Large quantities of cannabis, tramadol, and other illicit substances were seized during the operation.
Speaking after the raid, Hon. Olawale said the operation was carried out following credible intelligence reports on the activities of drug dealers and users in the council area.
“At least 25 drug peddlers were arrested while four other drug lords were also nabbed by the security agencies. A woman who had been in the illicit business of selling drugs was also among them.
“Hard drugs have become a raging fire, consuming the strength, future and promise of our youth, turning vibrant minds into shadows of their potential.
“This evil has fuelled crime, suppressed productivity and threatened the stability of our communities. We cannot fold our arms while our sons and daughters are consumed by addiction,” he said.
Olawale commended the security agencies for their professionalism and synergy during the operation and appreciated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his support in the ongoing fight against crime.
He urged parents, community leaders and youth groups to collaborate with security operatives to rid Akoko of drug abuse and criminality, stressing that the council would sustain the fight until the area was free from the menace.