By Muh'd Shafi'u Saleh The Adamawa State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Agboalu Femi Samson, has ...
By Muh'd Shafi'u Saleh
The Adamawa State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Agboalu Femi Samson, has announced significant strides in their operations during the past year. The agency has seized Indian-hemp totaling 28,470,000 units in the state, the commander disclosed during a press briefing held in Yola on Friday.
The press briefing was part of the three-week activities marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2024, with this year's theme being "The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention."
Reflecting on the theme, the commander emphasized, "Investing in prevention is a strategic approach that promises long-term benefits. Evidence shows that prevention programs can significantly reduce the initiation of drug use, thereby alleviating the burden on law enforcement and the healthcare system."
In alignment with this focus, the NDLEA Adamawa State Command has organized a series of events throughout the week to raise awareness and promote preventive measures against drug abuse. The activities commenced with a press briefing on Friday, June 21, followed by Jumma'at prayers.
Highlighting the achievements from June 2023 to June 2024, the commander reported, "During this period, we achieved significant milestones. We secured convictions of 148 individuals, comprising 145 males and 3 females, marking a notable increase from the 115 convictions recorded between June 2022 and June 2023."
"The highest sentences imposed were 10 and 5 years imprisonment, with the least being 6 months. In terms of asset forfeiture, we successfully obtained final forfeiture of 4 vehicles and interim forfeiture of 3 additional vehicles, as well as a house consisting of 3 rooms located in Ngurore, Yola South LGA."
"Monetary forfeiture has also seen an increase, with a total of ₦851,153 forfeited to the Federal Government and deposited into the Treasury Single Account (TSA), compared to ₦729,480 in the previous year."
"We made a total of 454 arrests (447 males and 7 females), reflecting a 9.38% decrease from the 501 arrests made in the previous year. However, our drug seizures significantly increased, with a total of 4,732.128 kg of hard drugs confiscated, marking a 75% increase from the 1,164.750 kg seized between June 2022 and June 2023."
"These seizures included various substances such as Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine (ice), Cocaine, Tramadol, Exol-5, Diazepam tablets, Codeine-based syrup, Rohypnol tablets, and Pentazocine injections. Our Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) efforts have also been fruitful, with 107 residential clients treated, counseled, and rehabilitated, and 222 clients receiving brief intervention counseling."
"Furthermore, our WADA sensitization program reached a total of 47,372 individuals through 80 sensitization activities conducted in schools, communities, workplaces, and faith-based organizations, reflecting our comprehensive approach to drug prevention and education," he added.
The commander also commended the support provided by the state governor, Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri CON, in the fight against drug trafficking. "His Excellency's unwavering support and commitment to our cause have been instrumental in our successes. We are deeply grateful for his leadership and encouragement."
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