By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said its sustained clampdown on drug trafficking cartels led to the apprehension of 462 suspected drug traffickers with 207,595.54kg of illicit drugs in 2025.

The State Commander of the Anti-Narcotics Agency, Commander of Narcotics Mitchell Ofoyeju gave the statistics while addressing journalists in Benin City where he described the command’s achievement as a substantial leap in intelligence-led operations, effective legal prosecution, and drug demand reduction initiatives.

In the year under review, he said a total of 462 suspected drug traffickers were apprehended, comprising 309 males and 153 females.

These arrests he said were a direct result of several targeted operations aimed at curbing the drug trade in the state, “The command reported significant seizures of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances with a total weight of 207,595.54 kg. This includes Cannabis Sativa: 207,206.08 kg, Cocaine: 0.0601 kg, Heroin: 0.029 kg, Methamphetamine: 1.50103 kg, Psychotropic Substances: 183.0699 kg and Codeine-Based Syrup: 204.8 litres.”

According to Ofoyeju, cannabis constitutes the largest chunk of the drugs, with 207,206.08 kg. “The Command successfully identified and destroyed 45 Cannabis sativa farms, spanning a total area of 77.5122 hectares across various local government areas, with an estimated yield of 193,491.1568 kg of illicit drugs, while 13,714.9233 kg of processed cannabis were seized during raid operations.”

He stated that the command is poised to fight the problem of drug cultivation, trafficking and abuse. “Our unwavering commitment to combating drug cultivation, trafficking and abuse will continue to be a top priority. Together with our partners, we will work tirelessly to ensure a safer Edo State for all.”

He said the command also achived 66 convictions while 104 cases were pending in the Federal High Court. “In addition, a total of twelve vehicles were impounded as instrumentalities of drug crimes. This highlights the ongoing commitment to address drug-related offences effectively and logically.”

He said the Agency carried out extensive public enlightenment campaigns to raise awareness about the health risks and societal dangers associated with drug abuse and trafficking and commended President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering political will in fighting the drug war and the renewal of the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA’s tenure, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd).

He thanked the Edo State government for constituting the Edo State and Local Government Drug Control Committees during the period under review and Governor Monday Okpebholo’s allocation of land for the construction of a state command headquarters.