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NDLEA destroys 24 tons of illicit drugs in Osun

By Timothy Agbor, Osogbo
17 December 2021   |   2:44 am
Osun State Command of the National Drug Law Endorsement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed illegal drugs weighing 24.486 tons.

NDLEA PHOTO: Twitter

Osun State Command of the National Drug Law Endorsement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed illegal drugs weighing 24.486 tons.
  
The agency Commander, Yomade Ogunbiyi, explained that various drugs including 24, 349, 24kg of cannabis sativa and 136,471kg of psychotropic substances were seized and destroyed.

 
He said the burnt drugs are exhibits from the court order of 2020, adding that since then, they have made huge seizures.
 
Describing Osun as one of the cannabis producing states in Nigeria, Ogunbiyi said large expanse of cannabis farms were destroyed in years past, saying the agency still intensifies efforts to ensure cultures of cannabis production are totally eradicated in the state.
 
While urging people of the state to join hands with the agency to tackle drug abuse, the state commander said the agency would soon launch its own War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), a national programme inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in June.
 
He said, “A total of 24.486 tons of assorted drug exhibits have been destroyed. As you are aware, public destruction of exhibit is stipulated in the act, which established NDLEA (CAP N40LFN as amended)
 
“For the people to know the extent of drug problem in Osun, the state Command of NDLEA arrested and seized, in the last five years; 2017,3335.311kg, 2018, 1148.5kg, 2019, 2,424.587kg, 2020, 1,006532kg, 2020, 1,006532kg and 2021 till date-3,001.44kg.
 
“Osun State is one of the cannabis producing states in Nigeria. Lots of the farms were destroyed in the past. Effort is seriously ongoing to eradicate the culture of cannabis production in the state. However, all hands should be on deck for it to come to reality,” he said.
   
In his address, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired) commended the state command for the work well done, stressing that the magnitude of drugs coming out of the farmlands was not a thing of joy.
 
Represented by the agency’s Director of Operations and General Investigation, Adeyemi Adeofe, Marwa said the burning of over 24 thousand tons of various types of exhibits became necessary as part of efforts to reduce the crime rate in the society.

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