From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The Ondo State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed 255 hectares of cannabis farms in the state.
It was gathered that the value of cannabis destroyed worth N900million.
It was further learnt that the operatives destroyed 50 hectares at Ogbese, 19 at Ipele, 58 at Okeluse, while 30 hectares of cannabis plantation were also destroyed at Ala, another five along Ogbese river bank and Omolowo/Powerline forest.
Daily Sun reliably gathered that large cannabis nursery beds and seeds were also destroyed.
13 suspects were arrested in the operation which lasted for a week and was done in conjunction with the agency’s Special Strike Force operatives from Ondo, Edo, Osun, Oyo and Ekiti States.
The Deputy Director of the NDLEA Strike Force, Mr Nnadi Chidi, who led the team, disclosed that 250 kg of cannabis seeds, 63.85kg of cannabis weed, 20.85kgs of dried Cannabis, two irrigation water pump machines and over 1,500 metres hose were seized during the operation.
Chidi said that the exercise was part of General Buba Marwa’s commitment to reducing the drug scourge in Nigeria to the barest minimum.
He said that the state Command of the agency received information regarding large irrigated cannabis cultivation spread across five Local Government Areas of the state and this prompted the deployment of the Strike Force unit and officers from Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Oyo and Osun state commands for total destruction of the illicit cultivation of the plant.
According to the team leader, “the goal of the irrigated weed farming by the cultivators was to maintain supply to drug users throughout the year.
He assured that the Strike Force would sustain the war against cannabis cultivation, adding that there would be no safe haven for cultivators of the illicit drugs in Nigeria.
Ondo State Commander of NDLEA, Mr Kayode Raji in his comment vowed that it would not be business as usual regarding the cultivation of cannabis sativa in the state.
“When I resumed duty three months ago, I sounded a note of warning to those into the drug business, that it will no more be business as usual.
“Before now, Ondo State had assumed a kind of notorious nature, not only in Nigeria but in West Africa, in terms of hard drugs, particularly cannabis plantation. If these hard drugs are good for human consumption, the Federal Government and the world would not have come together to prohibit their cultivation. It is better we see it as a non-money making venture but as a criminal offence,” he said.
One of the suspects, Olu Wire, who hails from Kwale in Delta State, confessed that he was hired to cultivate the cannabis plantation.
Another suspect, 31-year old Mary Donejay from Auchi in Edo State, said she was promised by her lover, an ex-convict, that he would marry her after he had harvested the 10 hectares of cannabis farmland they both planted.