On Sunday, the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Akwa Ibom
Command said that it arrested 235
suspected drug peddlers and seized 334.06
kg of drugs from them in 2017.
Mrs Joy Agumuo, the command’s Public
Relations Officer and Deputy
Superintendent of Narcotics, revealed this
during an interview with the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo.
Mrs Agumuo said that of the 235 arrested,
191 were males while 44 were females.
She claimed that there was a massive
decrease in number of suspects arrested
and quantity of drugs seized, when
compared to the 2016 statistics of 301
suspects and 405.195 kg of drugs.
Agumuo during the reviewed period of
time, 10 of the suspects were convicted and
serving various jail terms.
She said that some of the drug addicts
were counseled by the Drug Demand
Reduction Unit (DDRU), rehabilitated and
reunited with their families.
‘We arrested 235 suspected drug dealers
and users and secured 10 convictions in
Akwa Ibom State during 2017 operation.
She said, ‘The arrested suspects includes
191 males and 44 females. With more than
334.06 kg of banned substances seized
from them within the period.’
According to Agumuo, most of the seizures
made were cannabis sativa (Indian hemp),
heroin, cocaine, diazepam, tramadol and
psychotropic substances.
She expressed dismay over the high
prevalence of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp)
and combined substance users in Uyo, the
state capital.
She advised those who are addicted to hard
drugs to desist from the habit to avoid its
adverse health implications as well as the
long arm of the law.
She attributed the achievements of the
agency during the year to the commitment
of the personnel, good working
relationship and synergy between it and
other security agencies in the state.
Agumuo said; ‘the command worked
tirelessly to limit the supply and abuse of
hard drugs and other psychoactive
substances in the state.
‘The result is the reduction in the number of
suspects and quantity of drugs seized.’
She urged the people to cooperate with the
agency by giving out adequate information
on drug dealers for immediate action.
She assured the people that the agency
would not relent in its effort to comb all
nooks and crannies to rid the state of drug
dealers.
The PRO identified poor funding,
inadequate logistics and office
accommodation as some of the challenges
facing the command.

Source: journalng.com

https://journalng.com/2018/01/21/ndlea-nabs-232-drug-dealers-seizes-334kg-drugs-akwa-ibom/