The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major success in its anti-drug operations in Ondo State, arresting 336 suspects linked to illicit drug activities. The arrests were made during sustained operations across different parts of the state as the agency intensified efforts to dismantle drug networks and curb cultivation.
In the course of the operations, NDLEA operatives seized more than 22,000 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and destroyed about 207,000 kilograms of cannabis sativa cultivated on farmlands across several communities. The large-scale destruction underscores the agency’s resolve to eliminate drug production at its source.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed the figures during a visit to the Ondo State Government, warning that drug abuse continues to fuel crime, insecurity, and social breakdown. He noted that criminal elements, including kidnappers, often operate around cannabis-growing areas, worsening security challenges.
Marwa also highlighted the agency’s rehabilitation efforts, revealing that hundreds of drug users have received counselling and treatment through NDLEA programmes in the state. He added that the agency is promoting alternative livelihoods to discourage farmers from engaging in illegal drug cultivation.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa commended the NDLEA for its aggressive enforcement and preventive strategies, assuring the agency of the state government’s continued support in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
