The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has destroyed over 29,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated on large farmlands in Edo State.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NDLEA’s spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja, said that the farm was located at Uhen forest in Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state.
The agency’s operatives, supported by sister security agencies, raided the forests on June 12 and 14, arresting four suspects and recovering 16 kilograms of processed cannabis.
Additionally, the NDLEA seized various quantities of psychotropic substances, including tramadol pills, methamphetamine, and “Akuskura” (a new mixture of psychotropic substances) in separate raids in Abuja, Benue, Anambra, and Oyo States. Several suspects were arrested in connection with these seizures.
Babafemi said that the operatives of the agency, who raided the forests on Wednesday, June 12 arrested four suspects.
He gave the names of the suspects as Frank Ishoku, 38; Clifford Ossai, 49; Vanger Timothy, 30; and John Oluwaseyi, 30, adding that 16kg of processed cannabis was recovered for the purpose of prosecution.
Babafemi added that operatives of the agency also destroyed 18,425kg of the same psychoactive substance on 7.37 hectares of farmland.
Similarly, he said personnel of sister security agencies supported the agency’s operations in the thick forest of Ise Ekiti, on Friday.
“Meanwhile, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, two suspects, Muhammad Abba, 33, and Samson Ehizogie, 42, were arrested with 3,550 bottles of “Akuskura.
“This is a new mixture of psychotropic substances, seized by operatives during a raid on Friday June 14 at Garki Area 10 and Dutse Suokale, both within the FCT.”
In another development, Babafemi said that Emmanuel Ogechi, 24, was nabbed with 11,200 pills of tramadol on Wednesday, June 12, along Otukpo-Enugu road, by NDLEA operatives in Benue.
He said another suspect, Anayo Onwe, 40, was arrested with 62.4kg cannabis sativa at Nteje, saying the agency’s operatives seized 1kg of methamphetamine belonging to a fleeing suspect in Oraifite, in Anambra.
“And in Kwara State, Muhammed Musa, 24, was arrested with 33kg cannabis at Bode-Saadu, Jebba, while Shokuro Adeola, 59, was nabbed with 11.5kg of same substance along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Oyo State.”
