The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, on Tuesday, announced the arrest of 29 suspects and the recovery of 3,756.82kg of narcotics in the month of November.
This is just as it announced the establishment of a special patrol squad to tackle drug trafficking and abuse in the state.
Speaking at the inauguration of the special squad in Benin City, the state Commander of the agency, Mr Buba Wakawa, said the bulk of the seized drugs was cannabis, commonly referred to as Indian hemp.
Wakawa explained that the establishment of the special patrol squad was aimed at intensifying surveillance to cut off illicit movement of narcotics before, during and after the Yuletide.
He warned drug barons to quit illicit drug cultivation and trafficking or be prepared to face the wrath of the law.
Wakawa stated, “The Edo State Command of the NDLEA arrested 29 suspected drug traffickers with a total of 3,756.82kg of narcotics. The suspects are 23 males and six females.
“The patrol team will leverage intelligence-led techniques in intercepting drugs as well as arresting traffickers for prosecution. What we have done is to constitute a team of officers to beef up patrol, thereby making the command more dynamic and vibrant in tackling the problem of drugs in Edo State.
“This is a season where the love of money lures many people into criminal activities, including drug trafficking. That is why we are poised to intercept the movement of drugs before they get to the final users. Cutting off the supply of drugs is a vital strategy in preventing drug and substance abuse in our society.”
One of the suspects, Ojo Oduboye, 35, told journalists that the love of money led him into the criminal act, adding that rather than make money from drug trafficking, he got into too many problems.
He stated, “I was a commercial motorcyclist until things became very bad that I could not afford my house rent and feed. A friend of mine took me to Sobe to cultivate cannabis.
“He said that I would make enough money to settle myself and my family. However, my story is different. The first year was poor and the second year, thieves and bush fire destroyed the harvest.
“This year, I decided to bring my harvest home. Unfortunately, the NDLEA officers arrested me and seized the hemp.”
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