NDLEA destroys 560 kgs of illicit drugs in Lagos

Its chairman, retired Brig. Gen Buba Marwa, who supervised the destruction, warned drug barons against pushing illicit drugs and warned of dire consequences for anyone caught.

Marwa said that the drugs were seized by the Seme Area Command and the Lagos State Command of NDLEA, adding that some were also from the central exhibit storage facility.

He said that some of the drugs were seized between from 2019 to July 2022.

“This exercise complies with Section 3 Sub-section 1 of the NDLEA Act which mandates the agency to destroy seized narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances,” he said.

Among drugs destroyed were cannabis, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

Others included Tramadol, Ephedrine, Codeine cough syrup, khat and psychotropic drugs.

Marwa said that the consignment was the largest illicit drugs destruction since the inception of NDLEA, urging drug barons to seek alternative jobs.

He expressed satisfaction at the seizures which he attributed to lots of hardwork by personnel of the agency.

“This hardwork also culminated in the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the offenders in court.

“Since January 2021, over 17,647 drug offenders were arrested out of which 2,369 offenders were convicted.

“Today is yet another indication that officers and men of the agency are not relenting in the pursuit of the agency’s mandate to make Nigeria safe from the drug scourge.”

He vowed that the NDLEA would continue to explore legal ways to enforce the drug problem in the country

“There is no better time than now to adopt evidence-based programmes and policies to counter the destructive impact of the drug scourge which has pervaded our society in the past few years,” Marwa said

In a remark, the representative of the Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu Toyi 1, Chief Tunde Giro, commended the agency for tackling the menace of drugs trafficking in the country.

He promised that traditional chiefs would collaborate with the agency to fight the drugs menace in Badagry.

Mr Abubakar Wada, the NDLEA unit commander, Seme Command, commended sister agencies in Badagry for their unflinching support towards the seizures of drugs.

He promised that the command would continue to pursue the mandate of the agency.