By Chioma Iruke
No fewer than 43 dealers and consumers of illicit substances were arrested along with 137.55 kilograms of assorted drugs by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) after its launched an ‘offensive action’ in Nasarawa, Benue and Ondo states.
In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives backed by a detachment of soldiers from 177 battalion of the Nigerian Army, Keffi, raided notorious drug joints located in Kara Masaka, Ruwa Ruwa Uke, Abattoir at the border with FCT, Filing Bala, Masaka U- Turn and others for two consecutive days; 5th and 6th August 2021. During the raids, at least 41 suspects were arrested and assorted drugs such as cocaine, cannabis sativa, cough syrup with codeine, rohypnol and tramadol with a total weight of 65.250kg recovered from them.
Cannabis plants planted by the drug dealers in the adjoining bushes were destroyed, while all the stalls in the drug markets were dismantled and set ablaze.
In the same vein, operatives of the Ondo state command of the Agency in the early hours of Monday, 9th August, 2021 raided Odopetu area of Akure in Akure South local government area of the state capital, where a 44-year-old Mrs. Folake Ademola was arrested while her husband escaped arrest.
Recovered from their home include: 65.400kg of cannabis sativa; skunk – 500grams; loud- 16grams; Colorado- 34grams, bringing the total of drugs seized from them to 65.950 kilograms.
In Benue state, a 34-year-old Iornum Emmanuel was arrested at the NDLEA Aliade checkpoint on Sunday 8th August, 2021 with different quantities of assorted illicit drugs, which include; tramadol -500grams; diazepam- 1.5kg and exol 5- 7.9kg.
