NDLEA Destroys Illicit Drugs Worth N10b In Edo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of Edo State Command destroyed illicit drugs worth more than N10 billion in Benin on Friday.

The Chairman of NDLEA, Col. Mohammad Abdallah (retd), who supervised the exercise, said that approximately 137,000 kiligrammes of illicit drugs were destroyed, noting that the figure doubled the total figure recently destroyed in FCT, Oyo and Kano states.

He said 20 tonnes of drugs were destroyed in FCT, 14 tonnes in Oyo and 50 tonnes in Kano, while 136 tonnes destroyed in Edo.

Abdallah said the quantum of drugs being destroyed clearly called for state of emergency over drug situation in the country, lamenting that drugs had become pervasive in many parts of the country, with adverse effect on health, security and integrity of the nation.

He said that cannabis, tramadol and other psychoactive substances were often recovered in virtually all terrorist camps by the military.

The chairman also condemned the increase in space of forest being used for the cultivation of cannabis sativa in the state, noting that in 2017, the state command destroyed 40.06 hectares of suspected cannabis plantations, while 37.9 hectares was destroyed in 2016.

The state Commander of NDLEA, Mr Buba Wakawa, expressed sadness that Edo was one of the highest cannabis producing states in the country.

Wakawa said that drugs abuse in the state was of serious concern to the command.

He added that school age children were found to be using drugs even at an early age of 13, saying this had affected the rate of school dropout, divorce, rape, as well as teenage pregnancy.