The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Edo says it arrested 68 suspected drug traffickers and seized 7,531.51kg of illicit drugs in August.

The Edo commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this on Thursday while presenting the command’s August operational scorecard to journalists in Benin.

Mr Ofoyeju said the command also destroyed four cannabis farms covering 2.57 hectares, with an estimated yield of 6,433.33kg of cannabis plants.

He said the arrests resulted from several intelligence-led operations conducted across the state.

According to him, the suspects comprised 34 males and 34 females, indicating that drug trafficking and substance abuse affect both sexes.

Mr Ofoyeju said cannabis accounted for 7,524.83kg of the total drugs seized, while other substances included 5.3311kg of psychotropic substances, 0.0668kg of methamphetamine, and 34.8 litres of codeine syrup.

“Of the cannabis figure, 1,098.177kg was seized during operations, while 6,433.33kg was destroyed in plantations.

“The command remains committed to disrupting drug trafficking networks, removing illicit substances from communities and tackling the drug problem across Edo,” he said.

He said the recent operations showcased the command’s dedication to flushing drugs out of communities and apprehending those who seek to profit from the suffering of others.

The NDLEA commander said the agency would continue to collaborate with community leaders, media organisations, and other law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse.

Mr Ofoyeju said the command’s anti-cultivation operations led to the discovery and destruction of four cannabis farms in forest areas of Orhionmwon and Owan West Local Government Areas.

According to him, two farms discovered in Igbanke Forest in Orhionmwon Local Government Area measured 0.699702 hectares and 1.15188 hectares, with estimated yields of 1,749.255kg and 2,879.7kg respectively.

He said the third farm at Ukaro Forest in Owan West Local Government Area measured 0.496383 hectares, yielding an estimated 1,240.9575kg, while the fourth farm at Ewe Forest measured 0.225366 hectares, yielding 563.415kg.

“The combined estimated yield from the four farms is 6,433.33kg of cannabis,” he said.

The commander described the destruction as part of the command’s proactive strategy to prevent locally cultivated cannabis from entering the illicit drug market.

He noted, however, that no convictions were recorded during the period because the Federal High Court was on vacation.

Mr Ofoyeju explained that three new cases were charged, while 87 cases remained pending before the court.

Beyond enforcement, he said the command had expanded its prevention, counselling, and rehabilitation programmes.

According to him, the command’s rehabilitation and prevention sensitisation units counselled 23 clients during the month and enrolled 12 individuals in vocational training programmes.

The officer said the beneficiaries received training in tailoring, perfume making, and liquid soap production to support their rehabilitation and reintegration.

“The command also conducted five drug-abuse sensitisation programmes attended by more than 2,150 male and female participants,” he added.

Mr Ofoyeju said the combination of enforcement, prevention, counselling, and rehabilitation remained critical to addressing the drug problem and protecting communities from the social and health consequences of substance abuse.

(NAN)