NDLEA Impounds 5,500 Tons of Drugs Worth N450bn in 22 Months
The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,(NDLEA) Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has said that the Agency has in 22 months seized over One Hundred Million pills of pharmaceutical opioid, Tramadol that could have impacted negatively on the youth population and national productivity in Nigeria.
Marwa stated this during the Commands Awards/Commendations and decoration of newly promoted officers at the Agencys National Headquarters, Abuja.
He noted that within the period under review, the agency arrested 23, 907 drug traffickers including 29 barons.
“Our seizure was over 5,500 tons or 5.5 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs, which together with cash seized are worth over N450 billion.
“In the same period, we have taken the fight to the doorsteps of cannabis growers by destroying 772. 5 hectares of cannabis farms.
“In these 22 months, we have record convictions of 3, 434 offenders. We have equally made good strides in our drug demand reduction efforts where the number of those counselled and rehabilitated is 16, 114.
“The figures are mere statistics until you view them through the lens of human impact and the good or harm that could have come to society, the impact on public health, security as well as law and order if those dangerous drugs had gone into the streets. Take, for instance, the one hundred million pills of tramadol seized in the past 22 months. If those pills had gone into circulation and ended up in the hands of young people, it would take a heavy toll on lives, families, productivity and, ultimately, the GDP of the country because it will affect these young people who are the engine room of productivity,” he said.
