Women Top Edo Drug Arrests as NDLEA Seizes Over 2,500kg of Illicit Substances

(NDLEA. Photo by Punch News)

Mitchell Ofoyeju, Edo State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, stated on Thursday that ladies made up the majority of suspected drug traffickers detained in the state in July.

Ofoyeju made the statement during an event at the command's headquarters in Benin, where 73 recently promoted personnel were honored.

He said that of the 49 suspects arrested during the month, 29 were female while 20 were male.

Ofoyeju stated that a total of 2,596.29 kilogrammes of illicit drugs were seized during the period under review, noting that the shift in suspects' profile pointed to the socio-economic vulnerability of women and a breakdown of traditional family stability.

He said three warehouses were detected during the month, two in Benin City and one in Illushi, adding that two vehicles, a Toyota Sienna with registration number Ondo NND 975 AG and a Toyota Camry with registration number Edo BEN 503 BK, used for transporting cannabis, were also intercepted.

According to him, cannabis topped the seizure list at 2,588.4 kilogrammes, followed by psychotropic substances at 6.13 kilogrammes, cocaine at 0.071kg, heroin at 0.005kg, and methamphetamine at 1.68kg.

He added that the command also seized 15.3 litres of codeine cough syrup and 10 cylinders of nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas, noting that the range of substances recovered reflected the varied nature of narcotics being trafficked and abused within the state.

He further disclosed that the command destroyed a cannabis farm located in the Egbisi Forest of Abudu, Orhionmwon Local Government Area, describing the farm as spanning an extensive 0.640903 hectares with an estimated yield of about 1,602.26 kilogrammes of cannabis.

He added that the command's efforts had not gone unrecognised, having secured convictions in four notable drug cases during the month.

Speaking on the newly promoted personnel, Ofoyeju said the elevation was a result of hard work, sacrifice, loyalty and commitment to service, stressing that promotion within the NDLEA is not automatic but earned through diligence, integrity and outstanding performance in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.

He told the newly promoted officers that their new rank comes with greater responsibility, higher expectations and increased scrutiny, urging them to see it as a call to higher service, noting that the public would be watching, traffickers would test them more, and the command expected their momentum to increase.