Nasarawa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested no fewer than 240 illicit drug trafficking suspects in the state since January.
NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Peter Odaudu, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Lafia, while briefing newsmen on activities to mark the 2022 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Odaudu said that the Command also seized 251kg of illicit drugs including Cannabis sativa and psychotropic substances within the period under review.
He noted that one of the significant breakthroughs by the agency in the war against drugs in the state was the arrest of a suspect on May 22, 2022 with 10.95 grams of cocaine in a hotel in Lafia.
The commander said that the agency had successfully prosecuted and secured the conviction of 37 drug traffickers at the Federal High Court, Lafia, adding that several other cases were at various stages of trial before the court.
He said that the command, through its Drug Demand Reduction Unit, admitted Seven clients for counselling and rehabilitation within the period, out of which three had be discharged after being certified fit to live normal lives.
On the commemoration the UN Drug Day, Odaudu, said the essence was to afford all countries an opportunity to appraise their counter narcotic efforts in the past year.
“This appraisal would then reveal the weak areas that need to be improved upon and the areas of strength that must be sustained.
“The theme of this year, ‘Addressing Drug Challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crises’, underscores the necessity for persons with drug use disorder to access proper treatment in war and other humanitarian crisis situations.
“It is also a clamour for the protection of rights to health for people who need access to controlled medicines,” Odaudu said.
He said that the Command kick-started the week-long celebration on June 20, with drug sensitisation and awareness lecture to students of Ombi 1 Secondary School, Lafia.
Other activities lined up for the celebration included special prayers in Mosque and Church and June 24 and June 26 respectively, with the grand finale holding at the Command headquarters in Lafia.
The state’s NDLEA boss, called on the people to support and collaborate with the agency in order to mitigate the threat from drug abuse
NAN
