Oct. 16, 2023

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) FCT command has seized 3,988.74 kilograms of assorted drugs with a monetary value of N80milion.

The FCT commander, Commander of Narcotics, (CN) Mr Kabir Tsakuwa disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

Tsakuwa however, said that a total of 134 suspected drug traffickers, peddlers and abusers were also arrested in the same period.

He named the assorted drugs as cannabis Sativa, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Tramadol, Rohypnol and Diazepam.

He added that the major drug seized by the Operatives of the NDLEA was cannabis sativa adding that many suspects were prosecuted and convicted in the same period.

According to him, cannabis sativa seized within the same period are 3,861.789kg while cocaine intercepted were 0.038Kg

“Others includes diazepam which weighs 13.63Kg, Tramadol weighs 105.136Kg while Methamphetamine weighs 3.024Kg, Ectasy weighs 0.009kg with Pentazocine weighing 1.070Kg.

“134 suspected drugs users and traffickers were arrested in third quarter in which 128 are males and six are females.

“The total street value of drugs seized within the same period is about Eighty Million Naira (N80m).

“One hundred and four (104) suspects were prosecuted, out of which 27 were convicted, ” he said.

Speaking on what the command had been doing to ensure reduction of usage and trafficking of illicit drugs in the FCT, the NDLEA boss said that the Command had a balanced approach in drug control strategy.

This, he said was via drug demand reduction and drug supply reduction as they both complemented each other.

He said the demand reduction was aimed at preventive measures while the supply reduction strategy was about enforcement duties.

He said, “under the preventive strategy, we have a sustainable intensive sensitisation and public enlightenment programme using the platform of “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA).

Tsakuwa said that WADA was a social advocacy campaign designed to get every Nigerian involved in the task of ridding the country of illicit substance.

”We organised programmes in schools, corporate organisations, religious places of worship (Mosques and Churches), etc. to ensure involvement of all stakeholders.

“We collaborate with quite a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to carry out sensitisation.

“We also provide support systems for drug dependent individuals through counseling at our rehabilitation centre that is manned by well learned counseling experts.

“Clients are counseled for a period of three, six and 12 months depending on the level of addiction of the individual.

“Under Supply reduction, we embark on arrest of drug offenders, investigation and prosecution, ” he said. (NAN)