The Commander of the NDLEA, Bauchi State, Ali Aminu, who disclosed this during a courtesy visit to Governor Bala Mohammed, at the Government House on Thursday, said that within the period, 103 suspects were prosecuted in court while 31 others are still pending.
Aminu also disclosed that the agency seized illicit drugs including 1,114.202kgs of cannabis sativa, 0.165kg of meta vitamin popularly known as Ice, 160.553kgs of psychotropic substances comprising tramadol, D5, injections and syrup with codeine and 7.265kgs of akuskura.
He said that the recent national survey on drugs use and health 2018 shows that youths’ involvement in drug abuse especially in Nigerian schools has taken a frightening dimension.
“By virtue of my position as NDLEA state Commander, I can say that concerted efforts must be made by all to protect our loved ones. But, where do we start, we found out that our youths Constitute the highest-risk group and always the initiator group.
“Since my assumption of duty last year August till date, the arrest and recovery made by Command to date is 1201.24kg equivalent to 1.2 tons of various illicit drugs and psychotropic substances, this includes cannabis sativa 1114.202kg, meta vitamin popularly known as Ice, 0.165kg, psychotropic substances 160.553kg comprising tramadol, D5, injections and syrup with codeine, akuskura, 7.265kg, grand total is 1202.24kg.
“For arrests, we arrested 366 suspects which include 342 males and 25 females. I have prosecuted 103 suspects, I have 31 pending cases in court. And then there is the drug and demand and reduction unit, we admitted 21 and discharged 13, now through follow up we have 14 demand and use in our custody,” he said.
The NDLEA Commander appealed to the government to support the Command with logistics such as vehicles for operational activities, ensure that the committee on drugs abuse is functioning, establish committees against drugs abuse at the LGA and ward levels, and build rehabilitation centers targeting those who need to be rehabilitated.
Responding, Governor Bala Mohammed, commended the NDLEA for its efforts at reducing drug abuse among youths in the State assuring that his administration would always give the agency the opportunity to engage the government in order to succeed in its assignment.
He said, “I listened with rapt attention to the activities of the Agency since you came on board and some of the numbers and statistics are not very encouraging but it is better for us to know the blatant truth that to be hidden because Bauchi is a state that is a gateway to about seven states and gateway to 3 zones of the country, North-East, North-Central and North-West, so, it is in the middle.
“As a gateway, we are carriers or we are users, from the national statistics, the state is the 3rd most populous state in the North after Kano and Kaduna and so of course, demographic, migration and the rest are not helping us because, by virtue of our being relatively peaceful, people are migrating to this place.
“It is normal with people to move away from where there is insecurity to where it is more secure and with that issue of enjoyment may lead to abuse, and so, I thank you for prosecuting over 100. That means that you are not complacent, you are working very hard to ensure a free drug society, and you are not looking people in the eyes.
“I have always mentioned in our security meeting that we need NDLEA to nip the crime in the bud because most of the crimes and criminalities are being perpetuated by our leaders of tomorrow, the Youths who are not because of their own faults finding a resort in drugs because of frustration, disillusionment, lack of employment and so on, they are so disgruntled. Of course, we as a government have the responsibility to make sure that we create opportunities.”
He, however, expressed displeasure at the low sensitisation of the activities of the NDLEA while calling for the routine destruction of these illicit drugs seized across the state.
