134 nabbed for cocaine trafficking; multimillion-naira worth of drugs seized in Abuja — NDLEA

The FCT command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it seized 3,988.74kg of assorted drugs with a financial value of N80 million and arrested over 100 people for drug trafficking in Abuja.

The FCT commander of narcotics, Kabir Tsakuwa, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja.

Tsakuwa, however, said 134 suspected drug traffickers, peddlers and abusers were also arrested in the same period. The drugs included cannabis sativa, cocaine, methamphetamine, Tramadol, Rohypnol and diazepam.

He added that the major drug seized by the NDLEA operatives of the NDLEA was cannabis sativa, adding that many suspects were prosecuted and convicted in the same period.

According to him, cannabis sativa seized within the same period was 3,861.789kg and 0.038kg of cocaine.

“Others include diazepam, which weighs 13.63Kg, Tramadol weighs 105.136Kg while methamphetamine weighs 3.024Kg, ecstasy weighs 0.009kg with Pentazocine weighing 1.070Kg. One hundred thirty-four suspected drug users and traffickers were arrested in the third quarter, of which 128 are males and six are females.

“The total street value of drugs seized within the same period is about N80 million. One hundred and four suspects were prosecuted, out of which 27 were convicted,” he said.

Speaking about the command’s efforts to reduce drug abuse and peddling in Abuja, the NDLEA commander said, “Under the preventive strategy, we have a sustainable intensive sensitisation and public enlightenment programme using the ‘War Against Drug Abuse’ (WADA).

Tsakuwa said WADA was a social advocacy campaign to get every Nigerian involved in ridding the country of illicit substances.

”We organised programmes in schools, corporate organisations, religious places of worship, etc., to ensure the involvement of all stakeholders. We collaborate with quite a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to carry out sensitisation.

“We also provide support systems for drug-dependent individuals through counselling at our rehabilitation centre, which is manned by well-learned counselling experts. Clients are counselled for a period of three, six and 12 months, depending on the level of addiction of the individual. Under Supply reduction, we embark on the arrest of drug offenders, investigation and prosecution,” he said.



FI