KANO, Nigeria — The Kano Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, announced that it has arrested 1,064 suspects and seized 7.5 tonnes of illicit drugs between June 2022 and June 2023 in Kano State.
This was disclosed in a statement on Saturday, June 24, 2023, issued by the NDLEA’s Acting Public Relations Officer, ASN II Sadiq Maigatari, on the occasion of the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.
This year’s theme is “People first: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention,” which emphasizes the importance of putting the well-being of individuals at the forefront of drug prevention efforts.
In the statement, Maigatari highlighted that drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking are global issues that adversely affect the health and well-being of individuals and society.
He noted that of the 1,064 suspects arrested, 1,001 were males and 63 were females.
The total quantity of drugs seized amounted to 7,530.813 kg, including 5,228.673 kg of cannabis, 2,096.837 kg of psychotropic substances, 47.013 kg of cocaine, and 65.24 kg of heroin.
Moreover, Maigatari revealed that during the same period, the Command secured 111 convictions, while 126 cases are still pending in court.
Additionally, in the Drug Demand Reduction, DDR, activities, 96 clients were admitted and 1,081 brief interventions were conducted, including 701 males and 380 females.
Maigatari expressed gratitude to the chairman/chief executive officer of NDLEA, Retired Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa, for his steadfast support.
He also commended the Kano State government, local government chairmen, the Emir of Rano, NGOs, and other security agencies for their assistance in combating drug abuse and trafficking.
The statement further emphasized NDLEA’s commitment to not only enforcing the law and bringing drug traffickers to justice but also treating drug users with compassion and respect.
“On this World Drug Day, let us renew our commitment to stopping the stigma and discrimination against drug users and strengthen prevention measures to ensure that people’s lives come first,” Maigatari concluded.
