.as NDLEA arrests 330 drug traffickers, secures 48 convictions in Oyo
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has asked all those still involved in the illicit drug business to turn over a new leaf or risk losing their freedom and assets in the new year.
The anti-drug czar in his new year message said the NDLEA and its workforce are moving into 2022 “with a resolution to rid the country of illicit substances and to continue our aggressive pursuit of drug cartels, barons and traffickers anywhere they may be within the country or even outside.”
Recall that Champion Newspaper Limited had on December 31, 2021 announced Buba Marwa, a former governor of old Borno and Lagos States as 2021 Champion Newspaper Man of the Year in acknowledgement of his unequalled accomplishments and doggedness in fighting drug war in Nigeria consequent upon his appointment January 2021 as chairman of NDLEA.
He said “Given our pedigree in 2021, there should be no doubt whatsoever about our capability to carry out these stated objectives.
“In the past year, we have scaled up our capability and reinvigorated our anti-narcotic activities. Our efforts have yielded arrests and interdictions. That should be a clear signal to anyone in the drug trade that the rules of the game have changed.
“In 2022, our goals remain the same: to dismantle drug cartels and syndicates, and that include arresting and having drug offenders jailed by the court and ultimately to rid our society of all traces of illicit substances.”
While leaving open a window of repentance for those in the trade, Marwa said; “there is still a window of opportunity for drug traffickers and barons: Now is the time for them to turn over a new leaf before NDLEA turn on the heat and they lose it all. Since most of them are in the business to amass wealth and now they have made fortunes from this trade that harms society, therefore, it is time to quit.
“We call on them to think about the common good, to think about the future of this country, to think about the young and coming generations. Let commonsense prevail and on your own volition make a significant contribution towards the effort to have a drug-free society where peace and harmony reign.
“We have seen the havoc of illicit drugs from the ugly development in parts of our nation due to drug abuse by youths and also from the general blight caused by abuse of Cannabis across the country.
“Those who heed this warning will thank themselves for taking the wise decision to quit the drug trade in the days ahead. Those who think and act otherwise can be assured of a tough year in 2022.
“They can take a cue from what happened in 2021, where the Agency secured various jail terms for over 1, 200 drug traffickers, including nationals of other countries and we brought to book six drug barons, including those outside the country and those who had been on the run for as long as 10 years.”
While emphasizing Nigeria’s determination to win the drug war, Gen. Marwa said with the full support of President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly, the Judiciary and the citizenry, NDLEA will leave no stone unturned to fulfill its mandate in 2022.
“In this campaign against drug abuse and trafficking of illicit substances, the Agency has the public support 100%.
“The Presidency is backing NDLEA to the hilt. Lawmakers are giving the Agency the necessary leverage. And in the court of law, as proven by recent developments, there is no respite for drug traffickers and barons. Likewise, we have a good rapport with international partners.
“Hence, those who deal in illicit substances can be certain that NDLEA’s long arms will reach them and they will face severe penalties from the law,” he added.
Also, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, says it arrested 330 drug traffickers and secured 48 convictions in the state in the year 2021.
The NDLEA Commander in the state, Dr Wale Ige, made this known in a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Mutiat Okuwobi on Sunday in Ibadan.
Ige said that the suspects comprising 297 males and 33 females were arrested for dealing in various drug offences such as Cannabis sativa, Tramadol, Diazepam, Rohypnol, Colorado, codeine, chocolate infused with codeine and other psychotropic substances.
Ige said that 101 suspects were charged to court while 48 of them were convicted for various drug offences with jail terms ranging from six months to life imprisonment in the year under review.
“The Command gave brief intervention via counselling to 104 People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) consisting of 98 males and six females.
“We presently have five clients undergoing residential rehabilitation while ten persons were rehabilitated and integrated back to the society during the year under review,” he said.
Ige said that the command recorded a total seizure of 3,543.96 kilograms of Cannabis sativa and other narcotic and psychotropic substances during the period under review.
He said the command recovered four locally fabricated pistols with Seven cartridges, a black colour Toyota Sequoia with registration Number LAGOS MUS 553 with 608.40kg of canabis sativa.
He said that it also recovered a Red Nissan Primera with registration number LAGOS FKJ 890 DZ seized alongside 85.90kg of Cannabis sativa.
Ige said that the command destroyed 0.69 hectare of cannabis farm located at Olosun village in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
He said that the command’s sensitisation programmes were extended to over 164 schools and some private organisations in the year under review.
He called on the public to support and join hands with NDLEA in the state in ridding it of drug abuse and illicit Trafficking. (NAN)
