NDLEA Burns Over 24 Tons Of Illicit Drugs In Osun

NDLEA Burns Over 24 Tons Of Illicit Drugs In Osun

National Drug Law Endorsement Agency (NDLEA) in Osun State on Wednesday destroyed drugs weighing 24.486 tons with an appeal to people to join hands with the agency in its bid to tackle drug abuse in the state.

The Osun NDLEA Commander, Yomade Ogunbiyi, added that drugs including 24,349.24kg of cannabis sativa and 136,471kg of psychotropic substance were seized and destroyed.

He stressed that “a total of 24.486 tons of assorted drug exhibits is being destroyed today. As you are aware, the public destruction of exhibits is stipulated in the act which established NDLEA (CAP N40LFN as amended).

“To fully appreciate the drug problem, NDLEA Osun State Command arrested and seized, in the last five years; 2017-3335.311kg, 2018-1148.5kg, 2019-2,424.587kg, 2020-1,006532kg, 2020-1,006532kg and 2021- January till date-3,001.44kg.

“Osun State is one of the Cannabis producing states in Nigeria. Lots of the farms were destroyed in the years past. Efforts are seriously ongoing to eradicate the culture of cannabis production in the state. However, all hands should be on deck for it to come to reality.

”l Ogunbiyi however hinted that the destroyed drugs are exhibits from the court order of 2020, adding that since then, they have made huge seizures.

He pointed out that lots of cannabis farms were destroyed in years past, saying that the agency still intensifies efforts to ensure cultures of cannabis production are totally eradicated in the state.”

The state commander of NDLEA further disclosed that the agency will soon launch its own War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), a national program launched by the president during the June 26, 2021 celebration.

Earlier, in his address, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) commended the state command of NDLEA for the work well done, saying the magnitude of drugs coming out of the farmlands was not a thing of joy.

Represented by the NDLEA Director Operations and General Investigation, Adeyemi Adeofe, Marwa said the burning of over 24 thousand tons of various types of exhibits become necessary as it’s part of the efforts to reduce the crime rate in the society.

“If we have not seized and destroyed them now, they should have been taken to the society and somebody would have been consuming it and when they consume it, it would have a lot of negative effects in their central nervous system and their health.

“And most of the crimes we are seeing in the society now such as banditry, kidnapping and all sorts of crimes are closely associated with dugs.

“We are trying to cut the supply of drugs. We are trying to reduce it that’s why we are burning this and by the time we can reduce it, there would be less in the circulation,” he said.