The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested no fewer than 31,675 drug offenders, including 35 barons, in 29 months.

NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, said this at a briefing to mark the 2023 United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking on Monday in Abuja.

“In 29 months, we have arrested 31, 675 drug offenders, including 35 barons; successfully prosecuted and got convicted 5,147 of them,” said Mr Marwa, represented by the agency’s secretary, Shadrach Haruna.

He added, “At least 6.3 million kilogrammes of various illicit substances have been recovered in response to our efforts to sweep up drugs and shut down the distribution channels.”

Mr Marwa said over 11,000 pending cases and 23,725 offenders were counselled and rehabilitated.

He added that within the period, the agency had destroyed 852.142 hectares of cannabis farms and dismantled three clandestine methamphetamine laboratories.

Mr Marwa also said the agency was pursuing drug supply reduction with drug demand reduction, which has to do with the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of drug users.

“In the last 29 months, we have acquired a few more rehabilitation centres given to us as donations, while we have also obtained the federal government’s approval for the construction of regional model rehabs.”

He added that more private treatment facilities cooperated with NDLEA and invested in a “toll-free, round-the-clock call centre that provides teletherapy”.

On the UN Day against drug abuse and trafficking, Mr Marwa said the theme, “People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention,” was in furtherance of the whole-of-society approach to taming the drug scourge.

Speaking, the country representative, United Nations Office On Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), Oliver Stolpe, said the organisation would strengthen collaborations and efforts towards drug demand reduction.

(NAN)