NDLEA seizes illicit drugs worth N80m in Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says personnel from the federal capital territory (FCT) command have seized over 3,900 kilograms of illicit drugs worth about N80 million in the third quarter of 2023. 

Kabir Tsakuwa, NDLEA FCT commander of narcotics, announced the development on Monday.

He named the seized drugs as cannabis sativa, cocaine, methamphetamine, tramadol, rohypnol and diazepam.

He added that a total of 134 suspected drug traffickers, peddlers and abusers were arrested by NDLEA operatives.

The commandant said the cannabis sativa seized are 3,861.789kg while cocaine intercepted were 0.038Kg.

“Others include diazepam which weighs 13.63Kg, tramadol weighs 105.136Kg while methamphetamine weighs 3.024Kg, ecstasy weighs 0.009kg with pentazocine weighing 1.070Kg,” NAN quoted Tsakuwa as saying.

“134 suspected drugs users and traffickers were arrested in third quarter in which 128 are males and six are females. The total street value of drugs seized within the same period is about eighty million naira.

“One hundred and four suspects were prosecuted, out of which 27 were convicted.”

Speaking on what the command is doing to ensure reduction of usage and trafficking of illicit drugs in the FCT, the NDLEA commandant said the command has a balanced approach in drug control strategy.

Tsakuwa said the feat can be achieved through drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction as they both complement each other.

“Under the preventive strategy, we have a sustainable intensive sensitisation and public enlightenment programme using the platform of War Against Drug Abuse (WADA),” he said.

Tsakuwa said WADA is a social advocacy campaign designed to get every Nigerian involved in the task of ridding the country of illicit drugs.

“We organise programmes in schools, corporate organisations, religious places of worship to ensure involvement of all stakeholders,” he said.

“We collaborate with quite a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to carry out sensitisation.

“We also provide support systems for drug dependent individuals through counseling at our rehabilitation centre that is manned by well learned counseling experts.

“Clients are counseled for a period of three, six and 12 months depending on the level of addiction of the individual.

“Under supply reduction, we embark on arrest of drug offenders, investigation and prosecution.”