By Gabriella Ogbu
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano State has reported a significant achievement, with the arrest of 319 individuals and the confiscation of a remarkable 4.7 tonnes of illicit substances between January and March 2024.
Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, the NDLEA’s Commander in the state, revealed in an interview with a local station that the arrests targeted a diverse range of individuals, including 14 women and 305 men.
The anti-narcotics agency highlighted that the confiscated contraband comprised a substantial quantity of illicit drugs, totaling over 4 tonnes. Ahmad specified that among the seized substances were 2.3kg of marijuana and 2.4kg of psychotropic substances.
Furthermore, the agency seized “over five million tramadol pills and 1.9kg of other dangerous substances,” according to Ahmad.
Ahmad stressed that the NDLEA’s efforts extended beyond mere arrests and seizures. “We secured 33 convictions of individuals involved in drug trafficking and related offenses within the last quarter,” he stated. Additionally, he mentioned facilitating the rehabilitation of 26 drug addicts, processing 38 visa clearances, and conducting 30 drug integrity tests for both individuals and members of the Kano Emirate Council.
As the Eid-El-Fitr celebrations commenced on Tuesday, the Commander reaffirmed the agency’s ongoing commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks, apprehending offenders, and curbing drug misuse within the state.
