NDLEA: We seized 7,149kg of illicit drugs in Nasarawa within one year

The Nasarawa state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it seized 7,149 kilogrammes of illicit drugs between July 2023 and June 2024.

NAN reports that Peter Onche-Odaudu, the NDLEA commandant in Nasarawa, spoke on Thursday during a press briefing in Lafia, the state capital, as part of activities to mark the 2024 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Onche-Odaudu said cannabis sativa accounted for 7,037.2 kilogrammes of the seizures; cocaine, 0.011 kilogrammes, methamphetamine, 0.185 kilogrammes, and other psychotropic substances accounted for 111.534 kilogrammes.

He said the United Nations (UN) had set aside June 26 of every year for the commemoration of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking by member nations.

He said the theme for this year’s event, ‘The evidence is clear: Invest in prevention,’ emphasises the need for drug abuse prevention over cure.

Onche-Odaudu said some of the activities to mark the celebration would include an advocacy walk, starting from Lafia Square and ending at Lafia Stadium, with the grand finale to be held on June 26, at the conference room of the Federal Secretariat, Lafia.

He added that the command would carry out an anti-drug sensitisation campaign at the GSM Village, Lafia, and Lafia Custodial Centre on Monday and Tuesday.

He thanked Abdullahi Sule, governor of Nasarawa, for his support of the command in the war against drug abuse in the state.