The Anti-narcotic agency in Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano has seized a total of 8,983.461Kg of illicit drugs between July 2020 and June 2021.
It also arrested 286 persons within the same period and a total of 155 were arraigned before the court where a total of 78 were convicted.
This was announced by the state Commander of the NDLEA, Isah Likita Muhammed while delivering a speech at the commemoration of this year’s International Day Against Illicit Drug Abuse and Trafficking in the state.
“In the area of supply reduction, a total of 8,983.461 Kg of illicit drugs made up of 7,701.906 Kg of Cannabis Sativa, 1,281.333 Kg of Psychotropic Substances, 0.157 Kg of Cocaine and 0.065 Kg of Heroine were seized between July 2020 and June 2021.
“Within the same period, a total of 286 persons, comprising 261 males and 25 females were arrested.
“One hundred and fifty-five (155) persons were arraigned in court with seventy-eight (78) convictions made up of 74 males and four females secured, while seventy-seven cases are pending.
“The Cannabis Sativa farms were discovered in Kano state, located in Gwarzo, Danbatta and Ungogo areas.
“From Gwarzo farm, 375 plants were uprooted, 111 plants removed from Danbatta farm, while 87 were uprooted from Ungogo.
“This development is no doubt a cause for concern, especially if viewed against the backdrop of the spread of the farm across the state and the fact that the cultivation was being carried out and on the dry season” the Commander stated.
Speaking at the event event with the theme “Share Facts About Drugs. Save Lives“, he explained that they were giving special emphasis on the mental, reproductive and psychological effects of drugs on women with particular attention on adolescent women and the girl child.
He therefore called on the general public to participate in the fight against drug trafficking to save generations yet unborn.
“The fight against drug trafficking and abuse requires the participation of every member of society in order to succeed. It is therefore pertinent on all of us to join hands to salvage our community from the scourge of drug so that we may have a future to bequeath to our children and generations to come,” Mohammed called.
He described the NDLEA’s job as two-fold, comprising of supply reduction and demand reduction where he said, the Supply reduction had to do with cutting the availability of illicit drugs in the society.
He said the demand reduction has to do with drug education and awareness campaign against illicit drug and abuse of drugs.
Lateefah Ibrahim
