The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has launched a nationwide raid of drug joints in an exercise called, “Operation Mop Up” as part of efforts to remove enablers of crime and violence in the form of illicit substances and those who deal in them with a view to ensuring peaceful inauguration of new administration in Nigeria come May 29.
This initiative has yielded to arrests of 534 suspects in the first few days of the of the operation, during which tons of illicit drugs including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, among other substances were recovered across the states and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
The agency’s spokesperson, Mr. Femi BabaFemi disclosed this in a press statement in Abuja on Friday.
He said, top on the list with high arrests and seizures are Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Kaduna, Rivers, Bayelsa, Adamawa, Osun, Benue and Plateau states.
He noted that the Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa who ordered the operation commended all the officers and men of the state commands and other formations involved in the exercise for their professionalism and following the NDLEA standard operating procedure.
“Im impressed by the level of compliance with the directive to all our commands and formations to dismantle all drug joints within their areas of responsibility, mop up all illicit substances in such locations and arrest all those culpable.
This will in no small measure take out of the equation, enablers of crime and violence such as illicit drugs, their dealers and all those relying on mind altering substances to disrupt the May 29 inauguration ceremonies across the states and the Federal Capital Territory,“ Marwa said.
He charged them to continue with the offensive action against drug cartels and traffickers until the last gram of illicit drug is taken out of the streets and communities across the country.
