From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 43 dealers and consumers of illicit substances after fresh raids in Nasarawa, Benue and Ondo States.
A total of 137.5 kilograms of assorted drugs were recovered during the operation.
A statement on Tuesday by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that in Nasarawa NDLEA operatives backed by a detachment of soldiers from 177 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Keffi, raided notorious drug joints located in Kara Masaka, Ruwa Ruwa Uke, Abattoir at the border with FCT, Filing Bala, Masaka U-Turn and others for two consecutive days, August 5th and 6th.
During the raids, at least 41 suspects were arrested and assorted drugs such as cocaine, cannabis sativa, cough syrup with codeine, rohypnol and tramadol with a total weight of 65.250 kg were recovered from them.
Cannabis plants planted by the drug dealers in the adjoining bushes were destroyed while all the stalls in the drug markets were dismantled and set ablaze.
In the same vein, operatives of the Ondo state command of the Agency in the early hours of Monday, August 9, raided Odopetu area of Akure in Akure South local government area of the state capital, where a 44-year-old Mrs Folake Ademola was arrested while her husband escaped arrest.
Recovered from their home include 65.400 kg of cannabis sativa; skunk – 500 grams; loud – 16 grams; colorado- 34 grams, bringing the total of drugs seized from them to 65.950 kilograms.
In Benue state, a 34-year-old Iornum Emmanuel was arrested at the NDLEA Aliade checkpoint on Sunday, August 8 with different quantities of assorted illicit drugs, which include; tramadol – 500 grams; diazepam – 1.5kg and exol 5 – 7.9 kg.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) has commended the commanders, officers and men of the Nasarawa, Ondo and Benue state commands for their commitment to the goal of ridding the country of the menace of drug abuse and trafficking. He charged them and their colleagues in other commands to continue on the offensive until the last drug cartel in Nigeria is dismantled.