The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Rivers State Command has in 2023 arrested 295 suspects comprising 237 males and 58 females, and also seized a total of 562.239kg of illicit drugs in the state.
The NDLEA Commander of Narcotics in Rivers, Ahmed Mamuda,disclosed this in a press statement released to Newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Mamuda listed the illicit drugs seized from the January 2023 to December 2023 as cocaine,heroin,cannabis sativa, methamphetamine (aka mkpuru mmiri), and other psychotropic substances such as tramadol, codeine, Rohypnol, and pentazocine.
The Commander also listed some of the achievements made by the command in 2023 as secured convictions of 136 accused persons who were sentenced to various jail terms at the Nigerian correctional service centre, Port Harcourt.
He said that the convicts include 115 males and 21 females, respectively.
Mamuda recorded another achievement of the command as secured final forfeiture of monetary exhibit in various cases which amounted to a total of N1,916,711.00 with 47 cases pending within the year under focus.
According to the Commander,the command successfully rehabilitated 53 male drug dependent persons in our makeshift rehabilitation centre and they were discharged to their respective families.
He noted that the Command provided counseling intervention and aftercare treatment to 112 Male and 35 female drug users.
“The Command embarked on War Against Drug and substance Abuse (WADA) advocacy to various stakeholders in the state,and also carried out 118 drug abuse awareness/sensitization programs to various organisations such as religious houses,schools,motor parks, markets and workplaces,”he said.
Mamuda applauded the Chairman Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA,Gen Buba Marwa (Retd),for his proactive initiative and providing enabling inspiration and motivation to officers and men of the Agency for the high standard performance within the last few years.
He expressed gratitude to the Executive Governor of Rivers state, Mr Siminalayi Fubara for his unalloyed support to rid the state of illicit substance abuse.
He also appreciated all the stakeholders who found time to collaborate with us in the period under focus and enjoin them to continue in their commitment to War Against Drug Abuse.
He assure the good people of Rivers state of the Agency’s resolve to make the state uncomfortable for drug dealers and their cohorts.