The
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has publicly destroyed 86,779.1kg
of cannabis worth six hundred and nineteen million (N619,000,000) naira.
The burning took place in Akure, the Ondo State Capital in compliance with a
court order issued by Justice Ishaq Sani of the Federal High Court Akure.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade assured guests at the event
that the Federal Government is determined
to stop cannabis cultivation in the
country.
In his
words of Giade, “it gladdens my heart that we are gathered here today to
destroy what destroys lives and destinies. Cannabis eradication is a priority
project for the Nigerian government. Unless drug barons quit the criminal act,
the cannabis farms will be traced and the deadly plants destroyed. Drug
barons will equally be arrested and prosecuted in line with the NDLEA Act”.
Giade added that the Agency will in addition confiscate all ill-gotten proceeds
of drug trafficking and forfeit same to the Federal Government.
The Deputy
Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi in his remarks commended the NDLEA for the success
of drug control programmes in Ondo State. “Ondo State command of the NDLEA is
working tirelessly in reducing the problem of drug trafficking. The large
seizures of drugs and raid operations by the Agency in the last three years
have brought sanity to the State. The State government has provided three
operational vehicles and will continue to support the anti-drug Agency. I urge
every stakeholder to assist the Agency in this daunting task” Olanusi stated.
The
destruction of 86,779.1kg of cannabis whose cases have been concluded in court
brings the total quantity of drugs destroyed in the State since 2011 to
184,575.52kg. Ondo State Command in 2011 destroyed 36,740.52kg of drugs while
in 2012; 61,055.9kg of forfeited cannabis was equally set ablaze.
In
addition, 51 hectares of cannabis plantation were destroyed and 92 drug
traffickers, comprising 86 males and 6 females arrested. Out of the 92 persons
apprehended, 78 are between the ages of 20 and 50 while 9 are within ages 11
and 20. The command seized 51,092.95kg of cannabis from drug barons and
counselled 65 persons with drug abuse problem.
United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that between 149 million and
271 million people worldwide use illegal drugs. It is alarming that a large
number of them between 125 million to 203 million are cannabis users.
Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) also states that cannabis is by
far the most widely cultivated, trafficked and abused illicit drug in the
world. It constitutes half of all drug seizures worldwide.
The NDLEA
boss stressed that the threat of cannabis cultivation, trafficking and use must
not be ignored. Studies have confirmed that acute effects of hemp use include
impairment of cognitive development and psychomotor performance. Cannabis is
highly addictive and can cause mental health problems as well as lung damage.
Addicts become anxious, panicky, suspicious or paranoid.
Loss of
job, accidents, broken relationships and marriages has also been linked with
cannabis use. Most heinous crimes are committed under the influence of this
deadly drug. Widespread abuse is traceable to availability and relatively lower
prices. Other predisposing factors include ignorance of cannabis effects, peer
pressure, low self-esteem as well as environmental influence from family,
school, workplace and community.
Giade noted that statistics of destroyed drug exhibits in the
State is a wakeup call for stakeholders to further intensify control efforts.
“The large expanse of land used for cannabis cultivation is a threat to food
security. As security managers, it is important for us to rebase the drug
control situation in the State. We must continue to take away the profit and
make drug trafficking unattractive. This we can achieve by effective public
enlightenment and necessary logistic support” he stated.
He thanked
traditional rulers in the State for their support towards our drug control
efforts and called for persistent attacks on drug syndicates.
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