From Chijioke Agwau, Abakaliki
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), yesterday, said it arrested over 248 suspected drug traffickers in 2021, in Ebonyi State.
The agency said it also seized over 243, 520 kilograms of drugs in the state within the same period.
The state command of the agency stated this, yesterday, in Abakaliki.
The Deputy Commander of the agency, Amaka Ekwalor, stated this at a pre-event press briefing for an advocacy and sensitisation programme for Izzi/Abakaliki Federal Constituency with the theme “support the war against drug abuse”.
The programme was sponsored by the lawmaker representing the constituency in the National Assembly, Sylvester Ogbaga, and RandBurg Nigeria Limited.
She noted that 20 of the suspected drug traffickers, all males, aged between 20 to 65 years, were successfully prosecuted and convicted at the Federal High Court.
She said cannabis accounted for 183,313 kilograms of the total drugs seized within the said period and lamented that the menace of drug use is taking a frightening dimension in the country, despite measures put in place by the government.
The deputy commander noted that drug use prevalence in Nigeria cuts across all ages, gender, religion, socio economic status and regions.
She also expressed worry at the high number of female drug users in the country, adding that women’s involvement in substance abuse has more implications than the men, because of the role women play in child nurturing and upbringing.