A joint task force, comprising the police, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and local vigilante groups, has initiated a crackdown on drug barons, resulting in the arrest of 60 suspects in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State.

The task force also confiscated cartons and packages of illicit substances and other drugs in various parts of Damaturu and its environs along Gujba and Potiskum roads.

In a statement in Damaturu, Saidu Hassan, the Focal Person on Drug Abuse to Governor Mai Mala Buni, said: “The massive arrests and drugs seizures were made possible through the quick identification of notorious hideouts where drug barons engage in illegal sales and trafficking of drugs in the state.

“The crackdown on drug barons will be an ongoing process to ensure the safety and mental health of over two million youths and women in the state, including those in border communities with Niger Republic.”

In addition to the arrests and drug seizures, Hassan said that the task force’s operations would continue until all individuals involved in the drug trade and abuse are brought to justice, with plans to establish a drug-free state that could sustain its economic growth and development through technology and innovation.

He said that the task force would not waver in its mission to safeguard the future of youths and women, urging members of the public to continue supporting government’s efforts against drug trade and abuse by reporting any suspicious drug-related activities in their communities.