By Rosemary Caleb
The Kogi State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA said its operatives have arrested three persons and destroyed seven hectares of hemp farm
The State NDLEA Commander.,Umar Yahuza disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Yahuza said that four hectares were found in Maikeke Village in the Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area, while three hectares were found in Ikeja Forest.
He said during the operation, the proprietor of the four-acre hemp field managed to flee while three suspects were apprehended in the Ikeja Forest .
According to him,“The discoveries followed intelligence reports received from individuals. Our officers and men swooped on the two farms on Aug. 9 and 15 respectively.
“We are on the trail of the suspect who escaped to ensure he’s arrested and prosecuted. Their activities in the communities are destroying the lives of citizens.
“NDLEA is leaving nothing to chance in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in the state.
“We are planning to search every nook and cranny of Kogi to ensure that the traffickers and comments of hard drugs are arrested and brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.
Yahuza appealed to the public to support the agency in its battle against the trafficking and use of illegal substances, which were destroying the lives of a large number of young people in the state.
In another development,operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted 892,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth N6.2 billion in street value.
The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. said the operatives recovered the drugs from five containers.
He said the operation was carried at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers during a joint examination of the containers with men of the Nigeria Customs and other port stakeholders on August 14 and 15.
“The bottles of the opioids were packed in 5,337 cartons with a gross weight of 133,860kg and shipped in five containers from India, ”he said.
Also, NDLEA operatives supported by men of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies as well as community youths on August 14, raided the Ise forest reserve, Saalaja camp, Ise-Ekiti.and destroyed
21,800kg of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) on 20 hectares of farmland.
“The following day, August 15, NDLEA officers on patrol along Onitsha-Enugu road in Enugu State intercepted a Sienna bus marked SKA-24 AG.
“A total 200.2kg of cannabis (Indian hemp) was recovered and the driver arrested,” Babafemi said.
