National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Gombe State Command, said it arrested 46 suspected drug barons in the last eight months.

The state NDLEA’s commandant, Mr Aliyu Adole, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Friday.

He said operatives of the agency also confiscated about 230.34kilograms of banned psychotropic substances between January and Aug. 2018.

Adole said out of the numbers, 27 of the suspects were awaiting trial, while 19 were convicted to various prison terms within the period under review.

According to him, most of those involved in the act are youths, while the confiscated drugs are dangerous to their health.

“The activity of the agency from January to date was very successful; the agency went out in search of drugs peddlers and we were able to arrest 46 suspects with about 230.344 kilograms of substances of abuse of different categories,” he said.

He listed some of the seized banned substances to include cannabis sativa, psychotropic substance, cocaine and heroin.

Adole said the agency was making effort to sensitize the youths, to implication of drug abuse, in collaboration with the traditional institution.

He appealed to traditional and religious leaders not to relent in their efforts and cooperation with the agency to address the menace of drugs abuse in the state.

According to him, rehabilitation centre of the agency is ready for operation.

The commandant advised parents, guardian and elders to bring known drug addicts in their domains for rehabilitation at the centre.