The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Osun State command, arrested 252 illicit drug suspects from January 2023 to December 2023.

In a statement on Saturday in Osogbo, the NDLEA Commander in the state, Chidi Nnadi, said that the suspects comprised 214 males and 38 females.

He said that the command secured the conviction of 57 suspects, whose sentencing ranged from three months imprisonment to five years imprisonment.

According to the commander, 47 cases are pending in court.

He said that the command seized illicit drugs weighing 1,909.69kg during the period.

“Within the same period, the drug supply reduction efforts led to the discovery and destruction of 9.5 hectares of cannabis farms ( 23.759 tonnes of cannabis sativa) at Ifedayo and Oriade local government areas,” he said.

“The agency had a brief counselling intervention in 79 People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) and embarked on awareness/sensitisation programmes in religious houses, schools, motor parks, markets and workplaces,” he said.

He denied that Osun was the second highest cannabis-producing state in South-West.

The commander thanked the chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Gen. Buba Marwa (retired), and Osun Gov. Ademola Adeleke for efforts to rid the state and the entire couhtry of substance abuse.

 (NAN)