The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed a 30-hectare cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) plantation in a forest in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The State Commander of the NDLEA, Mrs Rachel Umebuali, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Calabar.
She disclosed that the command arrested several suspects in connection with the plantation, expressing concern that some locals were shielding the drug traffickers.
Umebuali reported that 163.9kg of cannabis sativa seeds were recovered from the site.
She added that the NDLEA seized a total of 6,716.8kg of illicit drugs between January and June 2025.
Providing a breakdown of the seizures, she said the command confiscated:
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2,935kg of cannabis sativa
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129.6kg of methamphetamine
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82.7kg of psychotropic substances
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33.3 litres of cannabis mixture
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47.7kg of cocaine
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32.3kg of heroin
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69.7kg of opioids and barbiturates
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5 grams of ecstasy
During the same period, the command arrested 191 individuals and secured convictions for 15 of them.
“What’s troubling is that most of these drug dealers are not indigenes,” she said. “They come here, pay the locals, and receive protection through silence.”
Umebuali noted that with strong support from the state’s First Lady, Mrs Eyoanwan Otu, the command successfully marked this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking under the theme: “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention.”
She also said the NDLEA conducted 191 sensitisation campaigns across schools, markets, churches, mosques, and NGOs within the state to combat drug abuse.
Umebuali concluded by highlighting that the command faces major challenges, particularly in terms of underfunding and inadequate logistics.