FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
As part of efforts to rid Edo State of illicit drugs and traffickers, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has raided Ihama Road in Benin and other drug flashpoints within the state.
The crackdown culminated in the arrest of 46 suspects, seizure of nearly 40,000 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and the destruction of 15.852 hectares of cannabis plantations.
The State Commander of NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed this in Benin City while presenting the command’s scorecard for the month of July.
He noted that the monthly activities covered several intelligence-led operations which resulted in the dislodgement of drug flashpoints.
“The July result reflects the ongoing commitment to dismantle drug trafficking operations in the state. We apprehended 46 drug suspects, comprising 38 males and eight females.
“A total of seven cannabis farms measuring 15.85 hectares across Oke Forest in Uhunmwonde and Ewere Forest in Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Areas, were destroyed. In all, we successfully took 39,983.294kg of narcotic drugs out of illicit circulation.
Psychotropic substances, 5.5753 kg; methamphetamine, 0.26 grammes; cocaine, 0.0598 grammes; and 5.8 litres of codeine syrup,” Mitchell stated.
In addition to enforcement actions, the state command has been actively engaging the community through drug demand reduction initiatives.
Ofoyeju added that 32 individuals with drug use problems received counselling, while 11 others are currently undergoing rehabilitation in the command ‘s facility.
He also stated that the command equally organised multiple sensitisation programmes throughout the month, reaching an impressive audience of over 8,000 individuals within the period under review.
Among those arrested is a suspected drug baron and cannabis cultivator, Alabama Monday (49), who hails from Owan West Local Government Area.
Alabama, who has been on the command’s wanted list since 2023, was apprehended inside one of the cannabis farms, where 11 bags of processed cannabis weighing 115kg were seized.
Yusuf Isuku, 40 years old, who hails from Etsako West, was arrested along Wareke Road, Auchi, with 22 parcels of skunk, a strong variant of cannabis, weighing 10.265kg. The drug was hidden inside garri in black bacco bags. Josiah Friday, 48 years old, who hails from Akoko Edo area of the state, was apprehended along Igara-Auchi Road in Igara with five bags of cannabis weighing 36kg hidden inside black polythene.
Another interesting case is that of Izunna Nwankwo, 26 years old, who was arrested along Benin-Auchi Road with assorted psychotropic drugs. The suspect, who hails from Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was found with 15,400 capsules of tramadol, 200 tablets of swinol, 357 tablets of molly and 54 bottles of codeine cough syrup.
Similarly, some of the drug dealers arrested along the notorious Ihama Road, GRA Benin City, include Emmanuel Onaji, 29 years old from Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, caught with molly, Joshua Paul, 21 years old, from Ovia North East, Edo State, was caught with Loud; Prosper Titus, 20 years old, from Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, was caught with Loud; Andy Obioma, 28 years old, from Kana Local Government of Rivers State; and Agu Emmanuel, 23 years old, from Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was caught with Loud.
Ofoyeju reaffirmed the commitment of the Edo State Command to continue efforts against drug trafficking, vowing to prosecute those arrested and dismantle drug cartels that threaten the state’s welfare.
