TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Rivers State Command, has arrested 188 suspected drug peddlers in the state.
This was disclosed yesterday, in Port Harcourt, by the agency’s spokesman, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbungbada, saying that the figure comprised of 167 male and 21 female from July 2019 to June 2020.
Ogbungbada added that NDLEA had, under the period in review, secured 24 convictions of drug offenders in the state.
The NDLEA Public Relations Officer reeled out other achievements, which included seizure of 126.624 kilograms of various kinds of illicit drugs, among which were Cannabis sativa, cocaine, heroine and psychotropic substances.
Ogbungbada also noted that the command has successfully rehabilitated 22 drug dependent persons and reunited them with their families.
He said: “In the last one year, NDLEA Rivers State Command, has arrested 188 drug peddlers, compromising 168 male and 21 female.
“Also, in the last one year, from July 2019 to June, 2020, the Command has seized 126.624kg of various kinds of illicit drugs, which include cannabis sativa, cocaine, heroine and other psychotropic substances, such as Tramadol, Codein, Rahiphranol etc.
“The command also successfully convicted 24 drug offenders within the period in review, and our rehabilitation centre has successfully rehabilitated 22 drug dependent persons and has reunited them with their families”, he highlighted.
The PRO noted that the agency was faced with financial and logistics challenges, and called on government at various levels and well-meaning stakeholders to support the fight against drug abuse in the state.
Ogbungbada stated: “There are other challenges; we have problem of funding. Although it is a national issue, but, we are calling on stakeholders and state government to support the Command in terms of finances to help us run our activities.
“We are suffering the problem of logistics, in this command. We have just two operational vehicles and these vehicles are grossly inadequate and cannot cover the 23 LGAs of the state,” he lamented.