NDLEA ARRESTS 49 SUSPECTS, PROMOTES 73 PERSONNEL IN EDO
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By ; Sunmola Ganiyat
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 49 suspected drug traffickers in Edo State during operations carried out in July, with women accounting for the majority of those apprehended.
Speaking on Thursday at the decoration ceremony for 73 newly promoted personnel at the command headquarters in Benin City, the Edo State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed that 29 of the suspects were female, while 20 were male.
He said the command seized a total of 2,596.29 kilogrammes of illicit drugs during the period, describing the growing number of female suspects as a reflection of the socio-economic challenges facing women and the erosion of traditional family values.
Ofoyeju revealed that operatives uncovered three drug warehouses—two in Benin City and one in Illushi—while also intercepting two vehicles allegedly used to transport cannabis.
According to him, cannabis accounted for the largest share of the seized drugs with 2,588.4 kilogrammes, while other recoveries included 6.13 kilogrammes of psychotropic substances, 1.68 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, 0.071 kilogrammes of cocaine, and 0.005 kilogrammes of heroin.
He added that the command also confiscated 15.3 litres of codeine cough syrup and 10 cylinders of nitrous oxide, popularly known as laughing gas, highlighting the wide range of narcotics being trafficked and abused across the state.
The commander further disclosed that NDLEA operatives destroyed a cannabis plantation spanning 0.640903 hectares in the Egbisi Forest, located in Abudu within Orhionmwon Local Government Area. The farm was estimated to produce about 1,602.26 kilogrammes of cannabis.
He noted that the command also secured convictions in four major drug-related cases during the month, describing the achievement as a testament to its commitment to tackling drug trafficking.
Congratulating the 73 newly promoted officers, Ofoyeju said their elevation was earned through dedication, integrity and outstanding service, stressing that promotion in the NDLEA is based on merit rather than automatic progression.
He urged the officers to see their new ranks as a call to greater responsibility, warning that both the public and criminal networks would hold them to higher standards as they continue the fight against illicit drug trafficking.
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