The Kebbi State Command of the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested 102 suspected drug dealers and confiscated eight tons of various illicit drugs in 2016.
The Kebbi State commander, Mr Bamaiyi Alhaji, who disclosed this at a news conference in Birnin Kebbi on Friday, added that the command also impounded 36 vehicles during the period.
He said, “We arrested 102 suspected drug dealers, impounded 28 motorcycles , eight vehicles and seized eight tons of assorted drugs in 2016.
“ Most of the arrests were made in the border towns of two African countries: Benin and Niger Republics.
According to him, while the command had convicted 96 of the suspects, 47 are being counseled while 11 suspects were undergoing rehabilitation.
Alhaji also said, “Some quantities of drugs were also recovered while in transit from Ogun and Oyo states through Yauri – Jega road,” he said.
Alhaji added that the command also seized 794kilogrammes of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) within the period.
The commander commended the state government for the renovation of its dilapidated quarters and the prompt release of its monthly intervention fund.
“The state government approved N10 million to be expended in the repairs of NDLEA quarters and which are functioning well now,” he said.
He, however, appealed for assistance in the area of logistics so that the agency could effectively carry out its statutory duties.
“With all these successes recorded, we relied on only one functional vehicle, while covering 21 local government areas.”
He called on the Kebbi State House of Assembly to enact laws to address the issue of socially- accepted and in-legislative drugs which he described as gateway to addiction.(NAN).