The Edo state command of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested seven suspects at a cannabis farm in Edo state, and destroyed 22 hectares of cannabis, worth several millions of naira.
Addressing journalists shortly after the destruction, Assistant Commander of Narcotics, Kenneth Obidike, who led the operation, said the suspects were arrested at a cannabis farm located in Ughiedu community in Uhnwonde local government of the state.
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He said the suspects are workers employed in the farm owned by a drug baron who is at large.
“The operation has been going on in the last three days, we arrested six persons during the first operation while we arrest the seven persons today in the course of destroying the farms”
Obidike said 11 bags of suspected processed cannabis awaiting evacuation were discovered in the farm in the course of measuring the farms the farms before destruction.
“We discovered three cannabis farms, one measuring 4.4761116 hectares, the second 15.47567 hectares while the , third one is 2.263625 hectares
According to him, the farms were discovered through intelligence report, adding that investigations is on to arrest the owner of the farms
In an interview with journalists, one of the suspect, said he was employed by the farm owner on yearly salary of N120,000.
” I am employed here by the owner of the farm. We hand an agreement of N120,000 a year. I stayed at the farm, he only provides food and at the end of the year, he gives me the money”
The suspect, who hails from Akwa Ibom state, said he was initially working at the owner’s plantain farm on a yearly salary of N75,000.
“But when he ask to work on his cannabis farm on a yearly salary of N120,000, I agreed because I need money to offset my debt,” he said
