The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on drug traffickers with the coordinated raid on Ihama Road and other drug flashpoints within the state.

This has culminated in the apprehension of 46 suspected drug traffickers, the seizure of nearly 40,000 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and the destruction of 15.852 hectares of cannabis plantations.

NDLEA Edo State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, stated in Benin City while presenting the command’s scorecard for July 2025.

According to Mitchell, the monthly activities encompassed several intelligence-led operations, resulting in the dislodgement of drug flashpoints in the state.

“The July result reflects the ongoing commitment to dismantling drug trafficking operations in the state. We apprehended 46 drug suspects, comprising 38 males and eight females. A total of seven cannabis farms measuring 15.85 hectares across Oke Forest in Uhunmwonde and Ewere Forest in Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Areas, were destroyed. In all, we successfully took 39,983.294 kg of narcotic drugs out of illicit circulation. The breakdown of the drugs is as follows: cannabis, 39,977.644 kg; psychotropic substances, 5.5753 kg; methamphetamine, 0.26 grammes; cocaine, 0.0598 grammes; and 5.8 litres of codeine syrup.” Mitchell stated.

In addition to enforcement actions, the Edo State Command has actively engaged the community through drug demand reduction initiatives. A total of 32 individuals with drug use problems received brief intervention counselling, while eleven others are presently undergoing rehabilitation at the command facility. The command also organised multiple sensitisation programmes throughout the month, reaching an impressive audience of over 8,000 individuals during the period under review.

Among those arrested is a suspected drug baron and cannabis cultivator who has been on the command’s wanted list since 2023. Alaba Monday, 49 years old, hails from Owan West local government area of the state. He was apprehended inside one of the cannabis farms, where eleven bags of processed cannabis weighing 115 kg were seized.

One Yusuf Isuku, 40 years old, from Etsako West, was arrested along Wareke Road, Auchi, with 22 parcels of skunk, a potent variant of cannabis, weighing 10.265 kg. The drug was concealed inside garri in black bacco bags. Josiah Friday, 48 years old, from the Akoko

Edo area of the state, was apprehended along Igara-Auchi Road in Igara with five bags of cannabis weighing 36 kg, hidden inside black polythene.

Another interesting case involves Izunna Nwankwo, 26 years old, who was arrested along Benin-Auchi Road with assorted psychotropic drugs. The suspect, from Ishielu local government area in Ebonyi State, was found with 15,400 capsules of tramadol, 200 tablets of swinol, 357 tablets of molly, and 54 bottles of codeine cough syrup.

Similarly, some of the drug dealers arrested along the notorious Ihama Road, GRA Benin City, include Emmanuel Onaji, 29 years old, from Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, caught with molly; Joshua Paul, 21 years old, from Ovia North East, Edo State, was caught with Loud; Prosper Titus, 20 years old, from Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, was caught with Loud; Andy

Obioma, 28 years old, from Kana Local Government of Rivers State; and Agu Emmanuel, 23 years old, from Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was caught with Loud.

Commander of Narcotics, Mitchell Ofoyeju, reaffirmed the Edo State Command’s commitment to continue efforts against drug trafficking, vowing to prosecute those arrested and dismantle drug cartels that threaten the welfare of the state.