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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, has intensified its crackdown on illicit drug activities, destroying five cannabis farms, arresting three suspected drug traffickers and intercepting large quantities of psychotropic substances, including tramadol, codeine-based cough syrups and diazepam.
Charms and knives were also recovered during one of the operations.
Commander of Narcotics, Dr Mitchell Ofoyeju, who disclosed this, said the increasing cultivation of cannabis was gradually taking over forests in the state, urging local government chairmen to collaborate with the NDLEA to check the trend.
Ofoyeju said the five cannabis farms were discovered and destroyed in the past two weeks.
He said: “We cannot continue this way because what began as a little garden is turning into a large plantation. These farms were destroyed in the past two weeks. Chairmen of local government councils are closer to the people, and we need their active collaboration.”
According to him, two of the farms, measuring 0.928744 hectares, were located at Monday Camp, Usen Forest, Ovia South West Local Government Area, while another two farms, measuring 1.004278 hectares, were discovered at Igwe-Oke Forest, Owan East LGA.
He added that the fifth farm, measuring 0.336646 hectares, was located at Ogboha Forest, Owan West LGA.
The total area of the five plantations was put at 2.269668 hectares, with an estimated yield of 5,674.17kg of cannabis.
Ofoyeju further disclosed that during the raid at Ogboha Forest, a 39-year-old man, Sunday Segun, was arrested at the scene.
Similarly, at Bob-Izua Park, New Road, Okada, operatives arrested one Hassan Mohammed with 7.1kg of cannabis. Three deadly knives and charms were also recovered from him.
The commander said the command also recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against the trafficking of psychotropic substances when its operatives intercepted a vehicle loaded with assorted illicit drugs during a patrol operation in Auchi.
Items recovered from the vehicle included 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 50,000 capsules of Tramadol 100mg, 100 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and 25,000 tablets of Diazepam.
A 25-year-old suspect, Jamie Zubaru, was arrested in connection with the seizure and is assisting the command with further investigation.
Ofoyeju said the Edo State Command remained committed to its mandate of curbing illicit drug trafficking and cultivation, enhancing public safety and protecting the health of Nigerians.
