On UN anti-drug day, NDLEA parades drug suspects in states

The Katsina State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has apprehended 443 suspected illicit drug peddlers and prosecuted 23 others this year.

It also said it had apprehended 21 students and several children under age 13 with total of 128 bottles of cough syrup with codeine within the same period.

The state commander of the agency, Mrs. Maryam Gambo Sani, stated this yesterday while briefing newsmen in an event to mark the United Nations (UN) Anti-drug Day. Sani also said 110 drug-related cases were at different stages of trial at the federal High Court in the state.

The agency’s boss, who lamented the high rate of drugs abuse and other harmful substances by youths, called on parents and school heads to monitor the activities of their wards and students.

The Kwara State commander of the NDLEA, Ona Ogilegwu, said 134 suspects were arrested in the last 12 months, while 18 of them were successfully prosecuted and jailed. He said the feat though was lower than that of last year, was primarily because of the determination of his men at work.

At the Borno State command of the agency, 312 suspects have been arrested with seizures of 545.4kg of illicit drugs in the last six months.
This was announced yesterday in Maiduguri by

NDLEA Commander, Iweajunwa Okechukwu, to mark the UN anti-drug abuse and trafficking day.

He said 90 per cent of the suspects are either drug users or victims of drug problems that cut across all strata of the society. He further disclosed that between January and June this year, 22.2 litres of cough syrup with codeine were also seized.

At the NDLEA Kano State command yesterday, it was revealed that over 7,061.582kg illicit substances were seized in the last six months. Besides, the command arrested five persons who specialize in extorting unsuspected individuals in the name of the agency.

The commander, Hamza Umar, said between January to June, those items seized include
509.856kg cannabis; 6,545.008kg psychotropic substance; 6.7kg of KAT; 0.012grams of cocaine and 0.006grams of heroin.

In Kebbi State, the NDLEA said within six months the command has arrested 88 suspected drug dealers and seized 857.320 kilograms of illicit drugs and psychologic substance.

Briefing newsmen yesterday in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, the commander of the agency, Suleiman Jadi, said there is ongoing effort to curtail the menace in the state, adding that the command is fighting very hard to make sure that the activities of drug abuse and illicit trafficking is reduced to the barest minimum.

In a related development, a Non-Governmental Organization, Queen Dijah Women and Children Awareness Initiative to report activities of drug suspects to the authorities to ensure arrest and prosecution.