NDLEA seizes 2,265kgs of drugs, arrests 123 suspects in Q1

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

The FCT Commander of the agency, Mr Kabir Tsakuwa, made this known in an interview with our correspondent on Monday in Abuja.

Tsakuwa said that NDLEA operatives also arrested 123 suspects for drug related offences in the territory within the period under review.

He said that the drugs seized were cannabis sativa, cocaine and psychotropic substances, among others.

“The Command arrested 123 suspects for illicit drugs comprising 116 males and seven females, respectively.

“Total drug seized were 2,265.677 kilograms 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 previous year,” he said.

Tsakuwa said the command had admitted 20 drug users for counselling and rehabilitation in the same period.

He said that 13 had been discharged, adding that 142 were out-patient counselling with 42 referred from investigation unit for counseling.

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

He said that the command would also collaborate with other sister agencies like Military, Nigeria 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 preventive drug abuse/education programmes would be looked into.

He said: “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 programme targeted at more Secondary Schools and Tertiary Institutions.

“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, motor parks, among others will be considered.

“This will be as part of measures to reduce to the barest minimum illicit drug abuse and trafficking in the territory,” he said.