The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday said it had seized over 2,139.7 kilogrammes of hard drugs and arrested 143 suspected drug dealers within the last six months in Kaduna State.

The State Commander of the agency, Mohammed Jibrin disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Kaduna on preparations by the agency for the commemoration of the United Nation’s Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Five of the drug dealers arrested were female while the 138 others were male.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “The New Psychoactive Substance and its Consequences.”

Jibrin said five of the drug dealers arrested were female while the 138 others were male.
He listed some of the seized drugs to include cocaine, heroin, cannabis sativa and psychotropic substances.

According to him, 25 of the drug dealers arrested have been convicted and are serving various terms in prison.

Jibrin lamented the abuse of unconventional substances by youths, which he said had contributed immensely to the increasing crime rate in the state.

“Unfortunately, while we are celebrating these modest achievements of our battle against the abuse and trafficking of conventional hard drugs, our youths have gone into the abuse of unconventional substances such as lizard dung, plantain bar, sniffing of petrol and rubber solution, inhaling of pit latrine and gutter and many others to get intoxicated.”

Jibrin, however, said the agency was taking proactive measures to address the abuse of unconventional substances in the state.

“We have already started work before now with the Kaduna State Ministry of Justice on production of legal platform for combating the abuse of these new substances in the state.

“We have compiled the list of all the unconventional substances being abused in the state with the aim of sending a bill through the Executive Governor to the State Assembly to enact an edict against their abuse,” he said.

The NDLEA commander called on stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking to partner with the agency for better results.

“Hard drug problems have become a universal phenomenon. There is need for synergy of efforts and commitments by individuals, organisations, institutions and nations in finding solutions to the problem.”
Jibrin said the agency would hold lectures for students in various institutions in the state on the danger of drug abuse as part of activities to mark the Day.