The Nasarawa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of 150 suspected drug traffickers between July 2023 and June 2024.
Peter Onche-Odaudu, the NDLEA’s State Commander, made the announcement on Wednesday during the grand finale of a week-long event in Lafia commemorating the 2024 United Nations International Day against Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
According to Onche-Odaudu, there were 144 males and six females among the suspects, and 7,148.95 holograms of illicit narcotics were seized during the investigation period.
According to the commander of the NDLEA, the over seven tons of exhibits seized were made up of 7,037.2 kg of Indian hemp, 0.011 kg of cocaine, 0.185 kg of methamphetamine, and 111.53 kg of various psychotropic substances.
“A very significant arrest and seizure is that of 4,037 kg of Indian hemp in one fell swoop on Sunday, February 4, 2024.
“This remains the single highest seizure of drugs in the history of the drug war in Nasarawa State. The suspects arrested and the 40-footer truck seized are being prosecuted and forfeited, respectively,” he said.
According to the state’s NDLEA commander, 117 suspects were sentenced to varied jail sentences at the Federal High Court in Lafia during this time period.
He said that the command’s War Against Drug Abuse program has reached 46,802 people—27,033 men and 19,769 women—in schools, towns, businesses, and motor parks across the state.
“As part of our rehabilitation program, eight male clients were taken into our facility, counseled, and rehabilitated; 752 arrested suspects who were obvious drug users were given brief counseling interventions and released to their families,” he said.
Onche-Odaudu mentioned that the theme for the 2024 Drugs Day commemoration, “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention,” was instructive as it tallied with the ideal of the UN to prioritize prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation over punishment and incarceration.
The command’s success in the drug war was due to assistance from Governor Abdullahi Sule and his wife, Silifat Sule, as well as encouragement from the agency’s chairman and chief executive officer, retired Brig.-General Muhammad Buba Marwa, and other state stakeholders.
The NDLEA chief also praised the command’s officers and men for their bravery and commitment to combating drug misuse and illicit trafficking, which had generated incredible outcomes in the state.
