48 suspected drug traffickers arrested in Edo State

The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested 48 suspected drug traffickers and seized 541.47 kilogrammes of illegal drugs in May. This is part of their ongoing fight against drug trafficking and abuse.

The State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, shared this information in a statement on Tuesday. He said the arrests and drug seizures happened through intelligence-led operations in areas known for drug activity in the state.

Ofoyeju mentioned that the suspects include 25 males and 23 females who were caught during different operations.

A report on the drug seizures showed that Cannabis sativa made up most of the drugs seized, with 540.6253kg recovered. They also seized 0.2701kg of psychotropic substances like tramadol, Swinol, diazepam, and Rohypnol; 0.1415kg of methamphetamine; and 1.4 litres of codeine syrup.

Ofoyeju said, “The NDLEA Edo State Command arrested 48 suspected drug traffickers in May. The arrests comprised 25 males and 23 females nabbed during intelligence-led operations at various drug flashpoints across the state.”

He added that the command’s legal unit secured three convictions recently, and five new cases were filed in court. Currently, there are 94 drug-related cases pending before the Federal High Court in Benin City.

One major seizure was from a suspect named Lucky Omen, who was caught with a large bag of cannabis sativa weighing 27.3kg. Another suspect, Joseph Osin, had 743 grammes of Cannabis sativa. Prince Aniete was arrested with 373 grammes of loud, 11 grammes of tramadol, and three grammes of Swinol. Esther Okes was found with 194 grammes of cannabis sativa.

Ofoyeju also mentioned that operatives raided drug hotspots in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area. They arrested two suspects, Abdulmalik Sunday, 30, and Abayomi Precious, 29.

“Items recovered from Abayomi Precious include 238 grammes of Loud, three grammes of Colorado, 22 grammes of Tramadol (100mg), 23 grammes of Swinol, and two grammes of Rohypnol. Abdulmalik Sunday was found with 18 grammes of Loud, 58 grammes of Colorado, 14 grammes of Tramadol, five grammes of Swinol, and 53 grammes of methamphetamine,” he said.

On the efforts to reduce drug demand, Ofoyeju said the command counselled 31 clients, which included 24 males and seven females. All have been reunited with their families. Eight others are currently going through rehabilitation.

He added that the command also held five sensitisation programmes on drug abuse during the month. One of these was the Benin City Teens and Youth Invasion programme, where participants learned about the causes, effects, and prevention of drug abuse among youths.

The commander praised the agency's officers for their hard work and professionalism. He said the success shows the command’s commitment to getting rid of illegal drugs in the state.

“These operations send a strong message to drug traffickers that Edo State is not a place for their illegal trade. We will keep increasing our raids and intelligence-led operations to catch those involved in the distribution and sale of narcotics,” Ofoyeju said.

He also said that investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will be charged in court once the investigations are finished. The NDLEA boss urged the public, families, and institutions to keep supporting the agency with reliable information to help in the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse in the state.