NAN
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Akwa Ibom said it had arrested 92 drug suspects and seized 20.214 kg of illicit substances between March and April.
The State Commander, Mrs Josephine Obi, who revealed this during an interaction with newsmen on Sunday in Uyo, said the suspects included 87 males and five females.
The breakdown of the substances showed that Cannabis Sativa was 20.125kg, Cocaine, 0.081kg, Heroin, 0.008kg and five abandoned seizures of Psychotropic substances weighing 0.55kg.
Others are one card of tramadol and 63.5 litres of Combine (mixture of cannabis and alcohol).
She said that the command had counseled 41 drug peddlers in the state.
“The command delivered lectures against drug misuse and trafficking in illicit drugs in 48 schools and organisations as well as counseled 41 drug peddlers in the state,’’ she said.
The commander said out of the 92 persons arrested, eight had been convicted for dealing in socially-prohibited drugs between the periods.
She expressed worry that some of the convicted persons had served various terms in prison for similar offences.
Obi explained further that some dealers found it difficult to stop the illegal business even after serving their terms due to it’s lucrative nature.
According to her, the situations where most of the drug peddlers find it difficult to stop the illegal business have become a serious challenge to the agency.
She, however, attributed the huge successes recorded in the raids and destruction of drug joints leading to massive arrests of both dealers and users to the increased trained manpower in the command.
Obi reassured that the command would not relent in its efforts in the drug war to ensure the society was rid of the “heinous crime.’’
She further said that the command had devised means to counsel drug peddlers and prevent them from going into crime through the abuse of drugs.
Obi said that the command had embarked on continuous enlightenment and sensitisation programme across the state, especially in schools to let them understand the dangers inherent in illegal drug trafficking and abuse.
She explained that the enlightenment became important because most people fell victims or were lured because of ignorance.
Obi said that, as part of the campaign, the command visited schools to show them the cannabis plant for easy identification.
