A cross section of the suspects. Photo: NDLEA
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested 534 suspected illicit drug users and vendors across the country.
A statement by the spokesman NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi says, the feat was achieved nationwide in an exercise code-named ‘Operation Mop Up’ as part of law enforcement efforts to remove enablers of crime and violence in the form of illicit substances in the country.
He explained that, not less than 534 suspects was arrested in the first few days of the commencement of the operation, during which tons of illicit drugs including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, tramadol, codeine-based syrup, cannabis sativa and various new psychoactive substances were recovered across the states and the FCT.
Top on the list with high arrests and seizures are Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Kaduna, Rivers, Bayelsa, Adamawa, Osun, Benue and Plateau.
Reacting to the feat, the Chairman of the Agency, Brig. Gen.Buba Marwa (Retd) who ordered the operation commended all the officers and men of the state commands and other formations involved in the exercise for their professionalism and following the NDLEA standard operating procedure.
“I’m impressed by the level of compliance with the directive to all our commands and formations to dismantle all drug joints within their areas of responsibility, mop up all illicit substances in such locations and arrest all those culpable.
“This will in no small measure take out of the equation, enablers of crime and violence such as illicit drugs, their dealers and all those relying on mind altering substances to disrupt the May 29 inauguration ceremonies across the states and the Federal Capital Territory”.
He charged them to continue with the operational maxim of ‘offensive action’ against drug cartels and traffickers until the last gram of illicit drug is taken out of the streets and communities across the country.
Reporting by Nosa Aituamen; Editing by Julian Osamoto