The Kaduna State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported that its operatives seized 1,045.93 kilograms of various illicit substances and arrested 420 suspects during the third quarter of the year.
This was disclosed by the Commander, Mr. Samaila Danmalam, in a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Kaduna.
Danmalam said, “The command had within the period under review arrested a total of 420 suspects, comprising 404 males and 16 females.
“The figure represents both drug dealers, drug users and traffickers.”
The commander also disclosed that the command has made seizures of various illicit substances.
He said, “The illicit substances included Cocaine, Cannabis Sativa, Rohypnol, Tramadol, Methamphetamine, and other psychotropic substances grossly weighing 1,045.93 kg.
“The command seized a total of 1,393 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and equally seized four locally made arms in the course of its numerous operations in the period being reported.
“The command equally secured the conviction of 30 drug offenders and charged a total of 54 suspects, while investigations on others are ongoing.”
Danmalam said in its non-kinetic approach to combating the drug menace through drug demand reduction activities, the command carried out various sensitization and awareness programmes.
“It counselled 50 drug users while it rehabilitated 50 drug-dependent persons, who successfully recovered and were reintegrated into mainstream society,” he stated.
He emphasized that the command remains committed to fighting illicit drug trafficking and called for timely and valuable information to enable quick response and proactive measures.
Last month, NDLEA operatives intercepted shipments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids hidden in women’s sanitary pads.