NDLEA Arrest 123 Persons In Ondo State

No fewer than 123 persons have been arrested for various drug related offences within the last six months in Ondo state. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said.

The state commander of the Agency, Haruna Gagara, who gave the break down said a total of 123 suspects comprising 113 males and ten females were arrested in the command.

He explained that the arrests were made between January and June this year in different areas of the state.

He spoke during the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Akure, the state capital .

” Eleven male defendants were convicted and sentenced to various jail term.

After the arrest of the suspects “ A total seizure of 14,247.16kg of hard drugs and psychotropic substance comprising 13,916.158kg of cannabis sativa, 2.9gramms of cocaine, 3.2gramms of heroine, 8.65kg of tramadol and 333.75 litres of such skuchies , weighing 322.kg, were made.”

” A total of four vehicles and two houses used in transportation and storage of illicit drugs respectively, were siezed. These properties will be forfeited to the Federal Government in due course.

“ Over 120 hectares of the illicit farms were destroyed within the period under review and efforts are on top gear to destroy the rest before the criminals harvest them.”

Gagara however lamented that the agency was facing series of challenges, particularly in the area of logistics noting that it had affected the fight against drug dealing in the state.

He called on the state government and other stakeholders to come to aid of the agency.

“ We are asking for cooperation and supports from the stakeholders to come to our aid in the area of provision of operational vehicles and other logistics to enable us carryout our duties effectively.