SOJI AJIBOLA Ibadan
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has confirmed the arrest of 95 suspects for drugs related offences and interception of illicit drugs worth over N12 million within the first quarter of 2021 in Oyo command.
The NDLEA State Commander, Josephine Obi, stated this while presenting her quarterly report in Ibadan on Saturday.
The report, which was signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mutuiat Okuwobi, disclosed that the seizure comprised 580.4024kg of Cannabis Sativa and other narcotics substances.
According to her, operatives of the command within the period under review, also arrested 95 people including 88 men and seven women suspected of committing various drug offences.
She noted that during the period, 19 suspected traffickers were convicted for various drug offences.
She identified peer influence as a major contributing factor to increased drug abuse among youths and called for collaborative efforts to fight illicit drug trafficking in the state.
“We have taken sensitisation programmes to schools as part of our efforts against the production, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs and other illegal substances in the state.
“We encourage those whose children and wards are involved in drug abuse not to give up on them as treatment works.
“They should visit the NDLEA office where we can take them in or refer them to other centres in the state for treatment and rehabilitation.
“Between January and March, the command gave brief counselling to 13 people who used drugs while five are presently undergoing residential rehabilitation,” she said.
She added that reducing drug trafficking and abuse would go a long way in reducing crimes and insecurity in the state.