A total of 8,983.46kg (8.9 tons) of illicit drugs and 286 suspects has been reportedly impounded and arrested between July 2020 to June 2021 by the the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano State Command.
The state commander of the NDLEA Isah Likita-Mohammed gave this update while briefing newsmen in Kano as part of activities marking 2021 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The commander said that during the period under review out of the 8, 983. 46 kg illicit drugs, 7,701.91 kg are cannabis sativa; 1, 281.33kg psychotropic substances; 0.157 kg of cocaine; and 0.065 kg of heroin.
“Out of the 286 suspects arrested include 261 males and 25 females. Also, 155 persons were arraigned in the court.
“The agency secured 78 convictions which include 74 males and four females, while 77 cases are still pending before the court,’’ he said.
Likita-Mohammed however said the agency discovered three Cannabis Sativa farms located at Gwarzo, Danbatta and Ungogo Local Government Areas of the state which called for concern.
He said “from Gwarzo farm, 375 plants were uprooted, while 111 plants were uprooted from Danbatta and 87 were uprooted at Ungogo farm”.
The commander explained that the non-completion of the rehabilitation centre at the command had affected the ability to operate at optimum capacity in drug reduction and rehabilitation of drug dependent persons.
The commander called on the residents to join hands to salvage the community from the scourge of drugs in order to have a good future for children and generations to come.
He said based on this year’s theme: “Share Facts about Drugs. Save Lives”, the agency collaborated with Bayero University Kano to disseminate impacts and effects of drugs abuse on women, adolescent women and girl child.
The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is set aside by the United Nations for sober reflection on the devastating effects of illicit drugs on the health and wellbeing of the society and to forge cooperation toward resistance of trafficking.
