By Amos Aar
THE National Draw Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Benue State Command has arrested a total of 30 suspects which included 29 males and one female between January and March, 2022 in connection with trafficking and use of hard drugs.
State Commandant of the Agency, Mrs Esther Musa Lami, who stated this on Friday in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi, further intimated that 15 persons have been convicted while 18 cases were filed within the first quarter of this year.
According to her, the substances seized include 318 kilograms of cannabis, 0.01 kilograms of Cocaine and 50 litres of Codeine Celu. She added that while major dealers and traffickers were prosecuted, drug users were referred to the Counselling and Rehabilitation unit of the NDLEA.
Apart from the arrest, seizure, prosecution and sensitisation of people on the menace of drug abuse, the Commandant said Benue NDLEA under her watch has successfully launched the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).
As Benue people have started clearing sites for this farming season, Mrs Lami called on the people to be patriotic by giving useful information about marijuana farms that may be cultivated in interior places so that through a joint raid with other security agencies, NDLEA will destroy the farms before the marijuana will grow to maturity for harvest. She also urged people of the State to eschew drug abuse in order to avoid the dangers associated with it.
Although she acknowledged that the State Government has been facilitating sensitization programmes of the Agency for Benue people on the menace of hard drugs, Mrs Lami who assumed duty since 15th November, 2022 said more assistance was needed in terms of logistics, rehabilitation centres and reconstruction of dilapidated office structures.
In her comment, Deputy Commandant, Counselling and Rehabilitation Unit, Mrs Folorunso Adekemi, said 22 persons have been rehabilitated since January 2022 and the unit has been giving lectures to people to enlighten them on the adverse effects of drug abuse.
