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 in a statement on Tuesday. He said the arrests and seizures resulted from intelligence-led operations carried out in drug hotspots across the state.
He mentioned that the suspects included 25 men and 23 women who were caught during different operations.
The breakdown of the seizures showed that Cannabis sativa made up most of the haul, with 540.6253kg recovered. Other drugs seized included 0.2701kg of psychotropic substances like tramadol, Swinol, diazepam, and Rohypnol; 0.1415kg of methamphetamine; and 1.4 litres of codeine syrup.
Ofoyeju stated, “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 team secured three convictions during this time, while five new cases were filed in court. Ofoyeju noted that there are currently 94 drug-related cases waiting at the Federal High Court in Benin City.
The commander highlighted a major seizure from a suspect named Lucky Omen. He 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 efforts to reduce drug demand, Ofoyeju shared that the command counselled 31 clients, comprising 24 men and seven women. All of them have been reunited with their families, while eight others are still undergoing rehabilitation.
He also mentioned that the command organized five drug abuse sensitization programs during the month. This included the Benin City Teens and Youth Invasion program, where participants learned about the causes, effects, and prevention of drug abuse among young people.
The commander praised the agency's officers for their vigilance and professionalism. He said the successes achieved show the command's commitment to removing illegal drugs from Edo 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 selling and distributing narcotics,” Ofoyeju stated.
He mentioned that investigations into the cases are still ongoing. The suspects will be charged in court once the investigations are complete.
The NDLEA boss also urged the public, families, and institutions to keep supporting the agency with useful information. This will help strengthen the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse in the state.
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