42 Suspected Drug Traffickers Arrested in Edo State

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested 42 suspected drug traffickers in Edo State. They also seized 4,905.36 kilograms of illegal drugs during operations in June.

Mitchell Ofoyeju, the Commander of Narcotics, shared this in a statement on Tuesday. He also mentioned that three cannabis farms were destroyed in the process.

The 42 arrested include 24 men and 18 women. They were taken into custody during the agency's intelligence-led operations across the state.

Ofoyeju said June was an important month for the agency. They ramped up efforts to control drugs while marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

He reported, "A total of 4,905.36 kg of various drugs was seized. This includes 4,169.02 kg of cannabis destroyed in farms and 736.34 kg intercepted in the state. The seized drugs include Cannabis sativa, methamphetamine, and various psychotropic substances like Swinol, diazepam, and Rohypnol. We also recovered 54.2 litres of codeine syrup."

In a big move against cannabis farming, the Command destroyed three cannabis farms. On June 17, 2026, officers raided Ikao Forest in Owan East Local Government Area. They found and destroyed two farms covering 0.69763 hectares. One suspect, 45-year-old Patrick Imoukhede, was arrested there, along with 169 kg of processed cannabis.

In another operation, officers raided Ebora Camp in Ilushi, Esan South LGA, where they discovered and destroyed a cannabis farm of 0.969978 hectares. This farm was expected to yield about 2,424.945 kg of cannabis.

During a separate operation in the same area, 45-year-old Austine Anyamone was arrested with 395 kg of skunk cannabis. The three farms together covered 1.667608 hectares and had an estimated yield of 4,169.02 kg.

In another raid, drug cartels left behind illegal drugs in Uromi and escaped arrest. A search there led to recovering 540 bottles of codeine cough syrup, 11,100 capsules of tramadol (4.44 kg), 2,500 tablets of Swinol, and 100 ampules of Pentazocine injection.

On the legal side, Ofoyeju reported that the command secured 10 convictions in June. Three new cases were charged to court. Currently, about 79 cases are pending before the Federal High Court in Benin City.

The command also focused on reducing drug demand. They counseled 19 clients, 15 men and four women, who were released to their families. Seven clients are currently undergoing rehabilitation. Ofoyeju added that six sensitization programs were held to inform the public about the dangers of drug abuse.

Despite these successes, Ofoyeju pointed out that new threats remain. Cases of kidnapping and cultism in Oredo, Etsako West, and Akoko-Edo Local Government Areas are often tied to drug-related activities.

He said, "We urge the public to keep supporting our work by giving us timely information about drug-related activities. The command will keep fighting to break down drug trafficking cartels in the state."