NDLEA recovers illicit drugs worth over N3bn

The Kogi State Command, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has recovered illicit drugs worth over N3 billion naira in the state.

The Kogi State Commander of NDLEA, Mr Alfred Adewumi disclosed this while briefing journalists on Monday in Lokoja.

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Addressing newsmen at the command headquarters in Lokoja, Adewumi said the total weight of the illicit drugs exhibit recovered within the period of January 1, 2020, to December 2020 stood at 313,368.759 kg and worth over N3 billion naira.

According to him, his men also arrested a total of 174 suspects comprising 162 males and 12 females for the period under review.

He said the command was able to secure 15 convictions while 17 other cases were still pending in court, stressing that where it was possible to trace and connect any of their assets to drugs, they had been seized and some vehicles had already been forfeited to the federal government while some others were still under interim forfeiture.

Adewumi said the command carried out short intervention counselling for 126 persons and successfully rehabilitated 3 others within the year.

“Supportive parenting and monitoring of children’s behaviour can be a strong factor in lowering the rates of drug dealing and abuse, especially among youths,” he said.

He stressed that the command had “effectively” manned the gateway between the Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria and foiled the many attempts by unscrupulous drug dealers to flood the streets of the nation with drugs and turn her citizens into addicts, junkies and dregs.