On Monday, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) through its chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa, said no fewer than 48,157 persons were arrested for drug-related offences between 2021 and 2023.
This was disclosed by the spokesman for the agency, Mr Femi Babafemi, who stated that Marwa made the revelation while receiving the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Mrs Amina Mohammed, who paid him a courtesy visit.
The chairman noted that those arrested included 46 drug barons, and that 8,350 of those arrested had been successfully prosecuted and convicted.
7,500 tons of illicit drugs were seized from the suspects, and 1,057 hectares of Indian hemp farms were destroyed in forests in different parts of the country, according to Marwa.
The NDLEA chairman urged Mohammed to use her office and the huge platform of the UN to ease and enhance the work of the anti-narcotics agency.
“We’re indeed pleased to have you visit us. This will go on record as the first visit in history to NDLEA by the highest echelon of the United Nations. We not only commend you for this but also in equal measure your string of impressive achievements, whether when you served as Minister at home or at the global stage where you’re currently serving as Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. Thank you for being a shining light and a good ambassador of not only Nigeria, but the African continent and indeed the black race world over.”
“Please use your office to conduct another drug use survey that will give the NDLEA a better rating and move it up from its rating at the last survey six years ago.
“We want procurement of mechanical tools to destroy Indian hemp farms as against the current manual system.
“We need incinerators to destroy tons of illicit drugs seized as against the current open air burning which is not good for the environment and for public health.
“We also need support for our Alternative Development programme and modern forensic equipment at our old and new laboratories,’’ he said.
On her own part, Mohammed said, “On behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, we want to reconfirm our support from the United Nations to the work of the NDLEA.
“I see the NDLEA as an agency that wants to do the job and to succeed. This is a challenge and we will be here to support,’’ she assured
“This is the only country that we have. And we must harness the potential through the work that we do. What we want to do is support with whatever that we can, to ensure a greater and better Nigeria that takes its position not only in Africa but worldwide”, she added.
