The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Ondo State Command, has seized 295.779 kg of cannabis sativa in two weeks, Haruna Dagara, the agency’s commander, said on Tuesday.
Dagara made this disclosure in Akure during a courtesy visit to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of the state in his office.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Dagara assumed duty in the state on May 3, 2018.
The commander also said that the command destroyed about 36.5 hectares of cannabis farm, arrested 26 suspects, comprising 24 males and 2 females, and secured five convictions.
“In the same vein, from January to date, the command arrested 102 suspects He said: comprising 93 males and 9 females, and seized 13,523.68 kg of cannabis sativa.”
Dagara said that from January till date, 172 litres of ‘Skuchies’ was seized, 48.5 hectares of cannabis farm were destroyed, three houses and five vehicles were seized, and 11 convictions were secured.
He further said the command had secured the final forfeiture and permission to publicly destroy 111 tons of cannabis as part of the efforts to curb illicit drug trafficking and abuse in the state.
Dagara called for the support of the State Government to sanitise the state of cannabis cultivation and drug abuse through public enlightenment, campaigns, counselling and rehabilitation of drug addicts.
Responding, Akeredolu, who lamented the trafficking of illicit drugs, said it was unfortunate that the land meant to be part of the state forest reserves was now being used for growing Indian hemp.
He said: “Cannabis and its cultivation pose a great concern to us in Ondo State. We have today, a very large area of land, which should be for the state’s use in the area of forest reserves.
“Our men don’t have what it takes or weapons to confront them, hence the need for collaboration with the NDLEA to subdue them.”
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