NDLEA seizes 1,292kg of illicit drug in Ondo forest

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ondo State Command, have arrested nine dealers of illicit drugs and seized from them, a total of 1, 292 kilogrammes of cannabis Sativa and its seeds.

This came as the Federal High Court in Abuja, also yesterday, granted permission to the agency to destroy forfeited narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances, weighing 15.660kg and valued at about an N150million.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, granted an order for forfeiture and leave to destroy the drug sought by the NDLEA in an ex-parte application argued by a Counsel to the agency, Mike Kassa.

Announcing the seizure of the illicit drugs in a statement, yesterday, the state Commander, Mr. Haruna Gagara, disclosed that out of the figure, 711.5kg of cannabis seeds was recovered from a forest in Ago Oyibo area of Ogbese, Akure North Council.

He said the seizure has thwarted the mass cultivation of an estimated 250 hectares of cannabis Sativa farmland in Ondo state, adding that this cultivation, if allowed, would produce an estimated 443, 000 kilogrammes of cannabis.”

Gagara said his men stormed the forest on Thursday, February 18, following intelligence.

Some of the suspects arrested include Alex Moses, 35; Oshie Emmanuel, 20; Friday Effiong, 31; Emmanuel Akpan, 25 and David Friday, 19.
 
The commander said his operatives had earlier intercepted a vehicle loaded with 580.5kg of the illicit drug along Ogbese-Owo road, noting: “The consignment was to be smuggled to Kano State. If it had not been intercepted, it may further fuel the current insecurity and banditry being experienced in the Northwest.”

Gagara expressed appreciation to the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) for motivating them to always go on the offensive against illicit drug traffickers and dealers.

In the application, marked: FJC/ABJ/CS/1142021, the NDLEA prayed for “an order for forfeiture and leave to destroy, by burning in a public place, all narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances tendered in cases already prosecuted to a conclusion in Abuja from January 1 to October 31, last year by the agency, weighing 15.660kg.”

The NDLEA, in a supporting affidavit, said the drugs and psychotropic substances were seized by operatives at its Abuja Command in the course of their operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

It stated that the cases, in respect of which the drugs and psychotropic substances were seized, have all been concluded and that no appeals were pending in respect of the cases.