By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
No fewer than 95,083.114 kilogrammes, comprising of over 95 tonnes of different types of illicit drugs were seized by the Lagos Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in year 2023, New Nigerian Newspapers has learnt.
The command also successfully prosecuted and convicted two hundred and thirty-seven (237) defendants with various jail terms.
During the year under review, the Command arrested Nine hundred and nineteen (919) suspects comprising of Seven hundred and ninty-three (793) male and one hundred and twenty-six (126) female that are involved in the illegal drug trade.
The Asst. State Commander, Media & Advocacy, ACN Mallum Musa made the disclosure in a statement made available to journalists in Lagos on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the successes recorded during the year 2023 did not end with arrests and seizures but also in prosecuting the offenders.
It hinted that the assets of the convicts were also forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
These include a property situated at Bode Hamid Olowo Street, Mende Marland Lagos, and14 vehicles that are used for the business of illicit drugs.
” Also, during the year 2023, the Command did not only concentrate on arrests, seizures, and prosecution, but it also embarked rigorously on sensitizations, awareness campaigns and seminars through the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative of the Hon. Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brg. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) OFR, CON.
In this aspect, communities, schools, religious bodies, civil societies and organisations were targeted to sensitised them of the danger and consequences of illicit drug trafficking and abuse with the intent of educating them to detect and expose those involved in the trade and also to desist and look for remedy for those who found themselves in the abuse of drugs.
” The successes that were recorded in 2023 do not just occur on a silver platter. Rather, it was achieved through the cooperations of well-meaning Lagosians, Sister Security Agencies and Corporate bodies that are passionate about the War Against Drug Abuse and care for developmental strides of the State in particular and Nigeria in general. The NDLEA appreciates them as well as the state government for all their support in the achievements.
“‘The NDLEA, under the leadership of Abubakar Liman Wali, a Commander of Narcotics (CN), promised to maintain the tempo of the successes gained and will even surpass it in the current year, 2024.
” He is equally soliciting for more support, collaboration, synergy, and understanding so that we all together can tame the tide of this monster called illicit drug peddling and abuse that is ravaging our societies.
“Drug is not a respecter of anybody. It takes your money, joy, health, and even life no matter the class you belong to. We all must join hands together to fight it head-on.”, the Command added.
