The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says no fewer than 677 drug traffickers have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms between January and March 2022 in the country.

The Agency noted that a total of 3,359 arrests and 65,915.891 kilograms of assorted drugs were seized in the first quarter of the year.

This was made known in a statement issued and available to The Star on Wednesday by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi.

Babafemi stated that no fewer than 2,223 drug users were also counselled through brief interventions and rehabilitated in NDLEA facilities across the country in the first quarter of the year, noting that the figures represent a fair balance between the Agency’s drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.

The anti-narcotic spokesperson added that Lagos has the highest figure for drug seizures with 22,192.62 kilograms of illicit substances recovered from parts of the state, followed by the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command in Ikeja, also in Lagos, with 8,979.869kg of drugs seized between January and March, while Kano and Kaduna led the pack in the arrests of offenders with 194 arrests each within the same period.

“While a total of 257 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed in forests across Ondo state, 14.869 hectares suffered same fate in Edo and a hectare destroyed in Bayelsa State within the same period.

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“A further breakdown of the drugs seized within the first quarter of the year shows cannabis leading the table in January with 8,205.75kg, followed by Codeine – 414.281kg, Diazepam – 192.459kg, Tramadol – 135.067kg, Rophynol – 43.062kg, and Cocaine – 24.32kg.

“In February, cannabis also topped the list of seizures with 20,538.79kg, Codeine – 1,848.052kg,  Tramadol – 540.354kg, Diazepam – 137.041kg, Rophynol – 80.261kg, Cocaine – 15.727kg, Methamphetamine – 6.207kg, and Heroin  – 4.006kg.

“Cannabis also topped the list of seizures in March with 21,583.81kg, followed by Tramadol -8,965.319kg; Codeine – 417.207kg; Diazepam – 57.755kg, Cocaine – 45.082kg, Methamphetamine – 7.527kg,  Rophynol – 6.34kg, and Heroin – 1.497kg,” Babafemi disclosed.

While appreciating the commitment of officers of the Agency, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), urged the anti-drug operatives not to rest on their oars.

Marwa assured the NDLEA officers that every outstanding performance would always attract commensurate commendation and reward.

The Star