The Director-General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (retd.), said on Tuesday that over 11,340 suspected drug traffickers were arrested and 1,111 convictions secured in the past 11 months.
According to him, the figures are balanced by impressive drug demand reduction statistics with 7,066 counselled and rehabilitated and over 3.3 million kilograms of assorted drugs mopped up in the same period.
Marwa stated these in Abuja during a meeting with commanders at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre.
He said, “Indeed, we have enough to celebrate this year, and especially in this last quarter of the year, such as the interceptions of three bandits caught with three AK-47 rifles in Katsina; a gunrunner nabbed with a G-3 rifle in Benue; a pair of cocaine pushers at the Enugu airport; and daring suspects, who attempted to traffic 2,000kg of cannabis in concrete mixer trucks in Adamawa.
“We also arrested a drug kingpin, who offered a $24,500 bribe to compromise investigation at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.
“The figures of our drug supply reduction activities have skyrocketed: 11,340 arrests and 1,111 convictions in 11 months. These figures are balanced by equally impressive drug demand reduction statistics of 7,066 counselled and rehabilitated all in our facilities.
“During the 11 months, we successfully mopped up over 3.3 million kilogrammes of assorted drugs away from the streets of Nigeria; away from criminals, terrorists and bandits, and away from our youths.”
Marwa made a case for a new salary structure for the NDLEA personnel, adding that the agency had harmonised its rank structure and promoted 3,506 officers and men, rejigged its welfare scheme and now had a functional insurance scheme.
