Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), working alongside the Nigerian Army, have destroyed cannabis farms in Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State and arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged illicit cultivation.
The joint operation was carried out as part of ongoing efforts by security and law enforcement agencies to disrupt the cultivation, production and distribution of cannabis in the state.
During the operation, NDLEA personnel, with support from soldiers, identified suspected cannabis cultivation sites in the area and destroyed the plants found on the farms.
Two suspects were also arrested during the operation and are expected to assist investigators in establishing the ownership of the farms and their alleged involvement in the cultivation activities.
The identities of the suspects, as well as the exact size of the farms and quantity of cannabis plants destroyed, were not provided in the information available on the operation.
The latest raid forms part of the NDLEA’s wider campaign against illicit drug cultivation and trafficking across Nigeria. The agency has continued to conduct operations targeting cannabis farms and suspected drug networks in different parts of the country.
Edo State has previously been identified as an area where cannabis cultivation occurs, with law enforcement agencies carrying out raids in parts of the state to locate and destroy suspected plantations.
The destruction of the farms is intended to disrupt the supply of illegally cultivated cannabis before the plants can be harvested, processed and distributed. Authorities are also expected to investigate the suspects to determine whether other individuals or networks were involved.
The Nigerian Army’s involvement provided operational support to the NDLEA team during the exercise, particularly in the raid on the suspected farms.
Investigations are expected to continue as authorities work to establish the alleged roles of the two suspects and determine whether anyone else was connected to the cultivation activities.
Any further charges or prosecution will depend on the outcome of the investigation and the evidence gathered by the authorities.
