The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported the arrest of 37 individuals suspected of drug trafficking and the seizure of narcotics totaling 345.421 kilogrammes in the month of June.
The State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, revealed this on Monday during a review of the command’s efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse in the state.
“In the month of June, narcotic officers apprehended 37 suspects, comprising 25 males and 12 females.
These arrests were part of a broader strategy aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks and addressing the concerns on substance abuse within the communities,” Ofoyeju said.
He detailed that the first set of seizures included 310.485 kg of cannabis, 0.3415 kg of psychotropic substances, and 0.3175 kg of methamphetamine. Additional seizures consisted of 33.226 kg of cannabis sativa, 0.67 kg of psychotropic substances, 0.373 kg of methamphetamine, five litres of codeine syrup, and 0.004 kg of cocaine—all of which were abandoned.
“In a bid to further disrupt the drug trade, the command undertook the destruction of illegal cannabis farms measuring 7.27 hectares with an estimated yield of 18,184.7128 kg.
We razed the farms located in Okhuse forest and Ugbada Uzebba forest both in the Owan West Local Government Area of the state,” he said.
Ofoyeju noted that the command’s legal unit filed 11 court cases and secured five convictions during the same period. He also stated that 107 cases are currently ongoing at the Federal High Court in Benin.
Highlighting the importance of public outreach, Ofoyeju said the command’s Drug Demand Reduction Unit provided counseling to 32 clients—18 men and 14 women—and ran several awareness campaigns involving different organisations throughout the state.
The NDLEA commander reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to uphold its responsibilities in fighting drug abuse and trafficking. He reiterated their continued focus on dismantling drug networks through persistent vigilance and engagement with communities.
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