The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, said it arrested 554 suspects for various drug-related offences and secured the conviction of 56 between June 2023 and June 2024.
The NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Olayinka Joe-Fadile, disclosed this during a rally to commemorate the 2024 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Ibadan on Tuesday.
The United Nations World Drug Day is marked on June 26 every year to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving a world free of drug abuse.
The theme of the 2024 celebration of the event is: “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention”.
Joe-Fadile said that the theme emphasises the need for evidence-based policies anchored on science, human rights, compassion, and a deep understanding of the social, economic, and health implications of drug use.
He said that the 554 suspects were nabbed for dealing in marijuana, tramadol, diazepam, colorado and other psychoactive substances during the period under review.
“The present situation in the world calls on us to raise more awareness to advocate for investments in prevention and empower our communities to be able to handle drug related issues,” the commander said.
Reviewing the activities of the command in the period under review, Joe-Fadile said, “we seized about 5,388kg drugs from individuals ages between 16 and 72 years.
“We also secured some convictions with punishments ranging from three months to 28 years imprisonment for various offences.
“The command also rehabilitated 22 individuals within the period under review, with seven other people still undergoing rehabilitations in our centre’’.
The commander said that the command was not relenting in the drug war, adding that sensitisation on drug abuse would continue across the 33 local governments of Oyo state.
“Through the campaigns, we have been able to reach about 100,000 people in 307 locations across the state,’’Joe-Fadile said.
He added that the command also destroyed marijuana cultivated on 0.215 acres and another 0.640 hectares of farmland in Ajani village in Ona-Ara local government area of the state.
Joe-Fadile urged the youths to stay off drugs, warning that consumption of hard drugs could lead to untimely and painful death. (NAN)
By Olatunde Ajayi
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