Ahead of the 2016 United Nations Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26 with the theme ‘Listen first', the NDLEA has announced a major feat accomplished by its men.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Saturday said it intercepted various narcotics weighing 903,624.56kg with a street value of over N22bn in 2015.
The NDLEA, in a statement by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the agency arrested a total of 8,778 suspected drug traffickers, comprising 8,143 males and 635 females last year.
The anti-narcotics agency also said the 903,624.56kg worth of narcotic drugs seized from drug trafficking cartels included cannabis, 871,480.32kg; psychotropic substances, 30,652.93kg; ephedrine, 785.10kg; methamphetamine, 410.82kg; cocaine, 260.47kg; heroin, 30.09kg; and amphetamine 4.83kg.
The NDLEA also won 1,690 cases prosecuted in 2015, the statement added.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (retd.) was quoted as saying this as Nigeria joins the world in marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which holds on June 26.
He said, “Concerted efforts are needed against the threat posed by narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.”
Abdallah, who spoke on the state of drug control in Nigeria, noted that the threat of narcotics was real.
He said, “The threat of illicit drugs is real and concerted effort is required to halt the activities of drug trafficking cartels. The agency in 2015 seized drugs weighing 903,624.56kg with an estimated street value of over N22bn.
“Drug control is an important campaign that affects national security and public health. We must collectively rise up against drug trafficking organisation. The effects of drugs on children, youths, families and communities are unimaginable. There is the need for a greater understanding of the effects of drugs by members of the public.”
According to Abdallah, Nigeria is in the vanguard of the global crusade against illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse.