The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has destroyed 25 tons of illicit drugs in Kogi State.......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
The Chairman of NDLEA, Brig. General Mohammed Buba Marwa, rtd, disclosed in Lokoja on Wednesday during the public destructions of assorted illicit drugs.
Represented by the director of operations and general investigation from the NDLEA headquarters, Ahmed Suleiman Ningi, he noted that the 25,000 kilograms of illicit substances is capable of further heightening insecurity in the country and Kogi State in particular, if allowed to circulate.
Marwa said, “A breakdown of the drugs for destruction today shows: Cannabis Sativa -20,000.316kg; Tramadol – 476.864kg; Rohypnol-13.045kg; Diazepam 151.319kg; Exol-5 – 648.683kg; Pentazocine injection – 361.650kg; Cocaine -1.888kg; Codeine based syrup – 2393.94-kg; MDMA -0.305kg; Diazepam injection – 1.100kg; and Tramadol injection – 2.800kg.
“Others are Methamphetamine – 34.208kg; Heroin – 0.215kg; Morph ne1.700kg; Ketamine – 3.600kg; Cocodamol – 1.300kg; Midazolan – 3.700kg; and Akuskura (NPS) – 1,132.600kg. This brings the total to 25,229.238kg.”
He added, “The statistics from the National Drug Use Survey (2018) gives insights into this. Just two of the facts are enough to cause a sober reflection. One: 14.3 million Nigerians, aged 15-64 years, are abusing drugs.
“That is the size of the population of some countries; and two, 10.6 million of our compatriots abuse cannabis, which makes Nigeria one of the countries with the highest number of people abusing the psychotropic plant.
“The statistics are worrisome when you look beyond the figures to their health and security implications.
“While the larger society may not have an immediate grasp of the import of the drug facts and figures of Nigeria, those of us at NDLEA can read the handwriting on the wall as per the dire implications of the findings from the 2018 survey report.
“That is why since the coming on board of the current leadership of NDLEA in January 2021, we have doubled down on our efforts and now aggressively pursue our mandate”.
In his address, Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who was represented by the State Security Adviser, Comondore Jerry Omodara, rtd, said his administration is concerned over the use of illicit drugs in the state.