NDLEA arrests 103 suspected drug traffickers in Edo State

The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says it has arrested 103 suspects for trafficking illicit drugs.

Peter Ogar, Head of Operations and Intelligence in the command, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Benin on Monday. Ogar said the suspects, comprised of 88 males and 15 females, were arrested between July and September in various parts of the state.

He explained that more than 4,000 kilograms of suspected Indian hemp was seized within the period while 14 farmlands of about 10 hectares cultivated with the plant, were destroyed.

Ogar however said that the command had rehabilitated 79 drug addicts who had reunited with their families, while two are still undergoing intensive rehabilitation. “It is peak period for traffickers because it is the harvest season,” he noted, adding that this has led to upsurge in arrest of suspects and seizures by the agency. The Assistant Commander disclosed that the NDLEA had filed 18 cases in courts within the period, while several others are pending.