NDLEA Anambra arrests 289 in 2015, parades 3 drug suspects

395 were arrested in 2014 and 289 in 2015. Of this number, 354 persons were males and 41 females in 2014, and 268 males and 21 females in 2015.

Anambra State Governor Obiano

The war against all forms of crime and criminality embarked upon by the Chief Willie Obiano administration has continued to resonate across the State and beyond as the State Command of the   Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) noted that the support of the State administration contributed towards its success in the reduction in the number of illicit drugs traffickers and suspects arrested in Anambra State.

Speaking after parading the suspects on Tuesday, January 12, this year, during the review of 2015 activities of the Agency and expectations or 2016, the State Commandant, Sule Momodu pointed out that the support of the governor has impacted on the effective functionality of the Command and called on all to join hand in the fight against drug, which he said is propelling ingredient for crime and criminality.

Momodu appealed to governor Obiano to redeem the promise of two vehicles and motorcycles promised the Command in addition to construction of modern rehabilitation centre in Awka which he said would help keep  custody of the inmates rather than release them  due to congestion in 20-man capacity centre at Onitsha.

Giving account of performance of his command for the out-gone year when compared with the preceding year, the Commandant said his command achieved reduction of illicit drug traffickers from 395 in 2014 to 289 in 2015. Of this number, 354 persons were males and 41 females in 2014, and 268 males and 21 females in 2015.

Momodu stated that in 2014, the Command seized 704.378 kg of cannabis, 117.3 grams of cocaine, 16.6 grams of heroin, and 117.2 grams of psychotropic substance totaling 704.689 kg in 2014 while in 2015, it seized 455.144 kg of cannabis, 196.6 grams, 156.9 grams and 3.125 kg totaling 458.622 kg.

The Commandant pointed out that   261 persons aged from 21 – 35 years old were involved in trafficking in 2014 while 191 persons of same age bracket were arrested in 2015, followed by 63 persons aged from 36 – 50 arrested in 2014 and 57 persons of same age bracket recorded for last year, with 33 persons aged from 11 – 20 years caught   in 2014 as against 25 persons of same age bracket arrested in 2015.

He noted that more arrests were made regarding cannabis otherwise called Igbo because it is locally-produced and mainly supplied from axis of Delta and Edo States.

According to him, 39 males are in rehabilitation centre at Onitsha in 2014 as against 54 males and one female in 2015 adding that the State Command convicted 29 suspects in 2014 as against 30 in 2015.

He listed the challenges facing the Command to include lack of personnel, poor rehabilitation facility at Onitsha, unavailability of motorcycles and vehicles, mounting pending drug cases being handled by only two judges of the Federal High Court, and absent of modern rehabilitation centre in Anambra State capital.

For the 2016 year, the State Commandant assured that his Command was poised to reinvigorate in the areas of arrest and prosecution believing that rehabilitation and treatment as well as advocacy visits and awareness campaigns at homes, schools, and churches would help to fulfill the mandate of the Agency.

Meanwhile, the Command paraded three suspects, Mr. Chukwuma Ibis from Onitsha, who disguised as recharge card seller, Uche Ujoma from Ndokwa West in Delta State who carried cannabis (Igbo) weighing 124.3 kg and Monday Eze, a driver who was caught transporting the illegal drug from Ekpoma Delta state to a buyer in Owerri, Imo state in a metallic cream coloured vehicle Avalon BEN 988 AE.

The three suspects have all confessed to the crime, with Mr. Ibis saying he has been on the business for about five years at Bridge Head Onitsha, while both Mr. Ujoma and Eze said they had just joined the illicit business world this year in order to make quick money said of 124 approved surveillance in 2014, 73 were executed while 148 approved surveillance, only 82 were executed.

Uche Osiberoha Osibe

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