The Kwara state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), North Central Nigeria has arrested three notorious suppliers of illicit drug substances in different locations of the state.
The state Commander of the NDLEA, Mohammed Bashir Ibrahim, said that the arrest was made within one week.
Addressing newsmen in his office, the NDLEA boss, said that one of the suspected drug traffickers, Nwankwo Chidiebere Innocent, is a major supplier of psychotropic substances in the state capital.
According to him, the two other suspects; Solomon Sonowo and Abubakar Tijani, were arrested for drug-related offences.
The NDLEA boss disclosed that in the past one week, the command intercepted 4kg of cannabis sativa which is Indian hemp, meth and methavitamin from one Solomon Sonowo aged 24 at Bode Saadu, in Moro local government area of the state.
He also said one Abubakar Tijani, aged 33 was also arrested at Bode Saadu with 14 kg of cannabis sativa.
According to him, there was an arrest of one of the major distributors of psychotropic drugs in Kwara state, who gave his name as Chidi Godwin.
Ibrahim said he was arrested last year with a name given as Chidi Jonathan, a development that aroused the agency’s interest to dig further with a visit to his house and found out that his real name is Nwankwo Chidiebere Innocent.
The NDLEA boss described him as a notorious supplier of psychotropic substances in the state who has no shop, meaning that he’s not a registered patent medicine seller.
According to him, he sends his consignment from Lagos state and the goods were intercepted on August 12.
On arrest, exhibits found in his possession include tramadol weighing 1.950 kilogrammes, Diazapham of 2.950 kilogrammes and 179 grammes of Pentazocine.
The NDLEA commander said that the suspect had been in the business for several years, “for him to have been arrested last year and this year again and assured that his arrest, will cut the supply and availability of psychotropic substances within the state.
He said that the three suspects would be charged to the Federal High Court after the conclusion of an investigation by the agency.
He lamented that analysis of drug seizure and arrest of suspects between January and June 2023 showed that 85 per cent of suspects fall between the age of 14 and 40 years.
The NDLEA boss added that 89 per cent of those that undergo brief counselling and resident rehabilitation in the command centre are in the same age bracket.
He disclosed that the agency has intensified its sensitization campaign and advocacy activities to get the message down among our public, especially youth on the need to shun illicit substances.
Ibrahim commended members of the NURTW for their cooperation in the fight against the movement of hard drugs and appealed to commercial drivers who collect messages from people to help them deliver to be security conscious and have an idea of what’s being conveyed.
He disclosed that the agency has intensified its patrol activities, stopping and searching at almost all entries and exits of the Ilorin metropolis to cut the supply of Illicit substances into the state and warned dealers in illicit substances to quit dealing in illicit substances or leave the state.
