4/20: NDLEA raids cannabis party, arrests 200 youngins in Abuja

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested some youths for organising a cannabis party in the Asokoro area of the Federal Capital Territory.

The party was reportedly organised by a group of ladies on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

4/20 Day takes place every year on April 20. According to historical records, a group of Californian teenagers ritualistically smoked marijuana every day at 4:20 pm. The ritual spread, and soon 4/20 became code for smoking marijuana. Eventually, 4/20 was converted into 4/20 for calendar purposes, and the day of celebration was born.

Reports by Punch gathered that the youths were having a nice time when the NDLEA officers invaded the venue of the event.

According to their source, over 100 persons were arrested.

“In the police station right now. Was at a 4/20 party in Asokoro and they busted it. Asokoro, Abuja. There’s hundreds of us in custody right now. Everyone’s still accounted for I think,” said the source.

Confirming the incident, a statement on Thursday, April 21, 2022, by the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said about 200 attendees, including three young ladies who organised the party, were being profiled and interviewed.

Babafemi said, “The hotel was raided around 8.18pm on Wednesday, April 20, following actionable intelligence that some youths were planning to hold a hemp party at the hotel.

“Quantities of cannabis sativa were recovered from the pockets and bags of those arrested at the hemp party. The audacious party no doubt is part of attempts by some elements to create a drug subculture in the Nigerian social space.

He assured that the NDLEA will, however, continue to work with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to ensure abuse of illicit substances is not allowed to get entrenched in the country under any guise.

Meanwhile, there have been prolonged debates over the official acceptance of marijuana cultivation, processing, utilization, exportation and profitability in Nigeria.

In 2019, Governor of Ondo state, Rotimi Akeredolu, the executive governor of Ondo State suggested that the state might explore cannabis cultivation for medicinal purposes in its quest to create employment and engender growth. Expectedly, the suggestion generated public uproar due to the notoriety and addictive tendencies of the substance.

Currently, the planting, harvesting, and consumption of cannabis (popularly known as Indian Hemp) according to the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA), 1935 and Indian Hemp Act (IHA), 1966 is not allowed in Nigeria. The ban exists despite the growing commercial importance of cannabis globally.

Advocacy for the government to allow the growing of the plant for medicinal and commercial purposes is growing by the day.