NDLEA seized 7 tons of illicit drugs in 2021 … Rehabilitates 157 persons in Kano
The Kano State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Isah Likita Muhammad, has revealed that the agency seized over seven tons of illicit drugs in 2021.
He said the agency also rehabilitated 157 persons from addiction and consumption of various intoxicants and drugs in the state in the same year.
The commander disclosed this during a one-day seminar on the effect of drug abuse on security and its negative impact on national, social and economic development, organized by Trusted Northern Youth Awareness, in collaboration with the office of the Deputy Senate President, held in Kano.
According to the NDLEA boss, the Joint Taskforce on Drug Abuse arrested 40 persons on Friday in connection with alleged drug abuse at Plaza following an intelligence report from a good Samaritan.
He pointed out that Nigeria has regained its lost glory in international space with the coming of the new leadership NDLEA that has adopted a holistic approach in fighting the scourge.
He commended the Kano State government and the State Emirate Council for coming up with the policy of drug tests for people seeking for appointment, political office or any traditional title in the state.
On his part, the guest speaker, Detective Auwal Bala Durmin Iya, stated that fighting drug abuse required concerted effort from policy makers, community leaders and all other stakeholders in the society.
The security analyst emphasised that taking drug without prescription from medical personal amounted to drug abuse, and urged the public to refrain from the unhealthy act.
Durmin Iya said for the nation to be fully secured against various crimes of kidnapping, banditry and farmers/ herders clashes, the leaders must establish special marshals that would provide security in Nigeria’s forests.
Meanwhile, NDLEA has arrested a 76-year-old man, Osagie Robert, in Edo State, where a suspected fake security agent, Godwin Ilevbare, aka Edwin Agbon was also arrested for importing drug chocolates and cookies from Canada into
key
Nigeria.
The septuagenarian, popularly called old soldier, was arrested on January 7 in Egor, Oredo area of the state for dealing in Indian hemp while Godwin was nabbed during delivery of a consignment shipped into Nigeria through a courier company.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Sunday in Abuja that soon after the suspect signed for the consignment, undercover operatives embedded in the courier firm arrested him at his apartment in Benin City on Tuesday, January 4.
“The consignment, which emanated from Canada, contains Colorado brand of cannabis concealed inside chocolates and cookies weighing 6.491kgs, while the drug cookies and chocolates weighed 5.566kgs and 0.383kg respectively,” Babafemi said.
In a related development, a 48-year-old man, Iloduba Augustine, a passenger on an Ethiopian Airlines flight that arrived Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was on new year’s eve arrested and placed on observation during which he confessed to having swallowed 58 pellets of cocaine out of which he excreted 48 which were delivered to a Kenyan while on transit in Addis Ababa for a fee of N1 million.
He said he continued his journey to Nigeria with the remaining 10 pellets in his stomach, which according to him, he intended to sell in Lagos. The wraps of cocaine were later excreted at 10:40am on New Year’s Day.