Nigeria’s drug agency sized 481.097kg substance, arrests 462 suspects

sky news africa Nigeria's drug agency sized 481.097kg substance, arrests 462 suspects

NIGERIA

Nigeria’s National drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has sized a total of 481.097kg of assorted illicit substances and have arrested 462 suspects in the year 2019.

The Borno State Command of the Agency in northeastern Nigeria, stated this recently during a review of the 2019 activities, said it has also secured eleven convictions of drug suspects.

“The 462 suspects are responding to 64 cases pending before the federal high court Maiduguri, the capital city”, the State coordinator of the Command, Joseph Icha said.

According to Icha, the suspects comprising 439 men and 23 women, between 16 and 45 years are cooling off in the Gulag.

“The substances are made up of Cannabis Sativa 327.204 kg, Cocaine 448.7 grammes, Heroin 250.72 grammes and psychotropic substances 100.637kgs”.

Icha said that within the year under review the command arrested and charged some notorious drug barons in the state to court while effort is seriously ongoing to track down most of the drug dealers and distributors in the State. 

The command he noted has deployed intelligence led approaches in its handling of the control of illicit supply of hard drugs, while “we are simultaneously deploying evidence based preventive strategies in drug demand reduction efforts.”

He said the command has conducted drug abuse preventive education to schools and tertiary institutions in the State and has conducted sensitization campaigns to several internally displaced persons IDPs camps in the State.

“Two hundred and sixty two drug users were counselled within the year under review while 14 persons were admitted into resident counselling. They were successfully treated and handed over to their families”.

He noted that while the fight against illicit drugs lasted, the Agency has enjoyed tremendous support from all sister security agencies operating in the State. 

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