NDLEA arrests 149 suspects, seizes 1,699kg illicit drugs in Kogi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 149 suspects and seized 2, 699kg illicit drugs between January and June in Kogi State.
The NDLEA Commander in Kogi State, Mr Abdulkadir Abdullahi-Fakai, spoke at a news conference on Tuesday in Lokoja, as part of a week-long celebration of the United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking.
The event, is tagged with the theme: “Addressing Drug Challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crisis.
The commander mentioned the suspects have been each women and men, whereas the seized drugs included Codeine, Methamphetamine, Exol-5, Diazepam, tramadol, Cannabis sativa, Pentazocine amongst others.
“Consequently, the command has convicted 29 accused persons and other cases are still pending at the Federal High Court, Lokoja,” he said.
He described the drug abuse scenario in Kogi as extremely disturbing and referred to as for collective efforts to deal with it.
“The drug scenario in Nigeria and certainly Kogi is disturbing, particularly being a microcosm of Nigeria.
“And as a federating unit, Kogi can’t stand alone in the face of this ominous risk of drug abuse and trafficking.
“The implication on safety, financial and the final wellbeing is dire.
“Statistics and empirical details from National Drug Law Enforcement Agency operations point out clearly that drug downside is mutating right into a colossal social downside.
“It has become an issue linked beyond doubt to escalation of insecurity and its attendant effects on peace and economy across the country, ” he added.
Abdullahi-Fakai said drugs remained the most important catalyst of the debilitating results of armed theft, kidnapping, banditry, rape and different violent crimes in the nation.
“We know that drugs are mostly the catalyst for these vices, because anywhere that there is drug, there is crime and vice versa,” he added.
He said the command had engaged in varied operations, advocacy and sensitisation to solicit collective motion to deal with the menace of drug abuse and trafficking.
“In the world of drug abuse and preventive training, 25 colleges and organisations have been sensitised from January so far whereas 84 shoppers referred from investigation items have been counselled throughout the interval.
“Drug war is an onerous task that cannot be left in the hands of the agency alone,” the commander added.
He additionally gave particulars of different seizures made throughout the interval to incorporate the interception of 29 items of army camouflage uniforms in a truck and arrest of an escaped prisoner.
Abdullahi-Fakai referred to as on most of the people to cooperate with the NDLEA by offering helpful data on the actions of drug traffickers and distributors.
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