NDLEA arrests 9 illicit drug dealers in Ondo, sizes 1,292kg of cannabis worth millions of naira

No fewer than nine illicit drugs dealers have been nabbed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in a forest in Ago Oyibo area of Ogbese, Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

The anti-drug agency also seized 1,292 kilograms of cannabis sativa worth millions of naira from them during the raid.

The Ondo state NDLEA Commander, Mr. Haruna Gagara who made announcement in a statement on Friday,
disclosed that out of the figure, 711.5kg of cannabis seeds was recovered.

He said the seizure has “thwarted the mass cultivation of an estimated 250 hectares of cannabis sativa farmland in Ondo State.

“This humongous cultivation, if allowed, would produce an estimated 443,000 kilograms of cannabis.”

Gagara also disclosed that his men invaded the forest on Thursday, February 18, 2021 following intelligence.

Some of the suspects arrested in connection to the seizure include Alex Moses, 35; Oshie Emmanuel, 20; Friday Effiong, 31; Emmanuel Akpan, 25, and David Friday, 19.

He revealed that; “the consignment was to be smuggled to Kano State. If it had not been intercepted, it may further fuel the current insecurity and banditry being experienced in the North-West region of Nigeria.”

Gagara warned dealers of illicit drugs to desist from the act.

“Let me seize this opportunity to warn those who indulge in the illicit cultivation and trafficking of cannabis sativa in the state to desist from doing so.

“There will be no hiding place for them because the Command is poised to fish them out,” he stated.