The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), FCT command, seized 2,265.677g of drugs between January and March in the territory.

The FCT NDLEA commander, Kabir Tsakuwa, disclosed this in an interview on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Tsakuwa said NDLEA operatives also arrested 123 suspects for drug-related offences in the territory within the period under review. He said the drugs seized were cannabis sativa, cocaine and psychotropic substances.

“The command arrested 123 suspects for illicit drugs comprising 116 males and seven females, respectively. The total drugs seized were 2,265.677 kilogrammes of different drugs. The command also convicted 54, and we have 300 pending cases in court. However, 69 of such pending cases were from the 1st quarter and 231 from the previous year,” he said.

Mr Tsakuwa said the command had admitted 20 drug users for counselling and rehabilitation in the same period. He said 13 had been discharged, adding that 142 were in out-patient counselling, with 42 referred from the investigation unit for counselling.

The NDLEA boss said the command was trying to check drug issues in FCT, adding that the agency will continually dislodge black spots through raid operations.

He said the command would collaborate with other sister agencies like the military, police, NSCDC, FRSC and DSS through intelligence sharing and joint operations.

According to him, more collaboration with the media will be used to create awareness and prevent drug abuse/education programmes will be looked into.

“We (NDLEA) will also continue to partner with other stakeholders, NGOs, traditional rulers, religious leaders and opinion leaders, among others, using the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) platform. There will be plans for more sensitisation programmes targeted at more secondary schools and tertiary institutions,” the NDLEA commander explained.

He added, “We will also carry out sensitisation at workplaces such as hospitals and some private/corporate organisations, ministries and parastatals. Also, sensitisation for farmers, market women, hoteliers, and motor parks, among others, will be considered.”

He said this would be part of measures to reduce illicit drug abuse and trafficking. 

(NAN)