Chinelo Obongo, Lagos, Tony John, Port Harcourt and Magnus Eze,Enugu
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested 283 suspected drug peddlers in six months.
The agency also secured 40 convictions and seized large numbers of drugs within the period under review.
The achievements were recorded in Lagos, Rivers and Enugu States. The Rivers State Command, arrested 188, Lagos 27 while Enugu arrested 66 suspects.
The Port Harcourt, by the agency’s spokesman, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbungbada who said that the figure comprised of 167 males and 21 females.
Ogbungbada said that NDLEA had, under the period under 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.
He also noted that the command had successfully rehabilitated 22 drug-dependent persons and reunited them with their families.
He 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.
The commandant in Lagos State Command, Garba Ahmadu , said 27 suspects were arrested while 301.282 kilograms of illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, cannabis sativa, ephedrine, tramadol and diazepam were seized during the period under review
A breakdown of the figure of the arrest indicated that despite the extant flights restriction with only essential flights allowed, suspected drug traffickers were still arrested.
In Enugu State , 66 suspected drug addicts were arrested and 16 convictions were recorded.
Enugu State Commander of NDLEA, Abdullahi Abdul confirmed the arrests and convictions.
