The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said that Lagos State recorded the highest figure of drug seizures in the first quarter of 2022.
The agency said in a release that no fewer than 677 drug traffickers were convicted and sentenced to various jail terms between January and March 2022.
It also stated that a total of 3,359 arrests were made and 65,915.891 kilogrammes of assorted drugs seized within the same period.
The agency further said no fewer than 2,223 drug users were also counselled through brief interventions and rehabilitated in NDLEA facilities across the country in the first quarter of the year.
A breakdown of the drug seizures showed that Lagos topped with 22,192.62 kilogrammes of illicit substances recovered from parts of the state.
It was followed by the Murtala Muhammed International Airport command, Ikeja also in Lagos, with 8,979.869kg of drugs seized between January and March, while Kano and Kaduna led the pack in the arrests of offenders with 194 arrests each within the same period.
While a total of 257 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed in forests across Ondo State, 14.869 hectares demolished in Edo State and a hectare destroyed in Bayelsa State within the same period.
A further breakdown of the drugs seized within the first quarter of the year shows cannabis leading the table in January with 8,205.75kg; followed by codeine, 414.281kg; diazepam, 192.459kg; tramadol, 135.067kg; rophynol, 43.062kg and cocaine -24.32kg.
In February, cannabis also topped the list of seizures with 20,538.79kg; codeine, 1,848.052kg; tramadol, 540.354kg; diazepam, 137.041kg; rophynol, 80.261kg; cocaine, 15.727kg; methamphetamine – 6.207kg and heroin – 4.006kg.
Cannabis also topped the list of seizures in March with 21,583.81kg; followed by tramadol -8,965.319kg; codeine -417.207kg; diazepam -57.755kg; cocaine -45.082kg; methamphetamine -7.527kg; rophynol -6.34kg and heroin -1.497kg.
While appreciating the commitment of officers and men of the agency for a commendable performance in the first quarter of the year, chairman/chief executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) urged them not to rest on their oars. He assured them that every outstanding performance would always attract commensurate commendation and/or reward.
