From Desmond Mgboh, Kano

One hundred and three females, including 803 male suspects were picked up for drug-related offences in Kano State in the year 2019.

Also recorded by the Kano Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the same year was a total of 107 convictions, among them a female.

The State Commander of the Agency, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, disclosed these facts during a press briefing, Tuesday at the state Command of the Agency, saying that from January to date they seized a total of 8,031,207 kilograms of different drugs.

A breakdown of these drugs, he stated, included 4525 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, 2927 kilograms of psychotropic substances, 3.455 kilograms of cocaine, 230.0000 kilograms of khat, 000.167 grams of heroin and 160.900 kilograms of other substances.

According to him, the statistics represent a decline in the number of arrests and seizures recorded in the state when compared with the records of the previous years.

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He added that the drop in the arrests and seizures may not be unconnected with the sustained interdiction operation and the drug reduction activities embarked upon by the Command.

The recent statistics also put Kano State at Number 6 position as against the previous ranking where the state was ranked highest in terms of drug abuse and trafficking in the country, said the Commander.

Abdul offered that 44 regular clients were admitted by their drug reduction unit, while 799 drug users were referred for brief counselling.

He appreciated the other security agencies while observing that, unlike in the times past, they received this year a transfer of illegal drugs weighed 24 kilograms and 159 kilograms from the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Customs Service.

He sought the promotion of community participation in the fight against drugs and held that a lot still needed to be done to contain the menace of drug abuse and trafficking in the state.