Drug party? Yes, drug party. That was what the organisers reportedly called what they held on June 28, at an apartment in Sun City Estate in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Unfortunately for the organisers and their invitees, the information got to the least expected quarters; the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Expectedly, the agency’s officials swiftly moved in, stopped the party and arrested 60 suspects – 25 males and 35 females.

NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement, “The suspects comprised 25 males and 35 females; they were arrested at an apartment in Sun City Estate in the Federal Capital Territory.”

Even the theme of the party was scary. How many people would have attended a party dubbed: “Go hard or Go Home, Pick Your Poison”?

Babafemi added that the raid on the venue followed credible intelligence about the party said to have been organised by one Stanley Ikechukwu, who was among the 60 suspects arrested.

Different quantities of ecstasy and cannabis were allegedly found on six of the suspects arrested while the agency’s chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, directed that 20 of them who tested negative for drugs be released unconditionally.

The six on whom drugs were found were: Victoria Adoga, Hamza Yari, Joanne Essein, Socchima Valentine, Jago Imole and Charles Indobuibisi.

“Thirty-three others, who tested positive to illicit drugs, were to be released on bail and will report at the FCT Command of the agency on Monday to begin treatment and counselling,” the agency’s spokesman said.

The drug party arrests would only be one of the strings of successes that the NDLEA recorded in recent times.

On the same day, the agency also recovered about 40.32kg of Loud, an imported strong strain of cannabis, in a vehicle along Lekki-Ikoyi Road in Lagos State.

According to Babafemi, the driver of the vehicle conveying the drugs jumped out and took to his heels after noticing that NDLEA operatives were on his trail.

A day after the arrests at this Lagos incident, precisely on June 29, the agency’s men also arrested four suspects in a forest at Ugun, Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State. The suspects, Endurance Okon, 24, Joseph Michael, 23, Ovoco Bright, 43, and Goday Abanum, 23, were arrested “when NDLEA operatives raided and destroyed 18,632.22 kilograms of cannabis on a 7.452 hectares of farmland.”

We commend the Marwa-led NDLEA for these strings of successes. We have seen a marked improvement in the anti-narcotic war since he assumed office in January 2021.

We recollect the largest cocaine consignment haul it recorded in the agency’s history in February, 2024.

The agency under Marwa had uncovered ‘419’ schools in several parts of the county where very young Nigerians are being trained on how to dupe people and commit all manner of internet frauds. The agency had busted several drug cartels. Now, it has added raid on drug party to its achievements.

We urge the NDLEA not to rest on its oars. It should continue to make the country a ‘bad market’ for those who have chosen illicit drugs as their vocation.

We commend, in particular, NDLEA’s carrot-and-stick approach to reducing the incidence of drug and drug addiction in the country. Even in the drug party incident, Marwa directed that suspects arrested who did not test positive to narcotics should be released unconditionally. In addition, the agency has intensified counselling as well as campaign against drug and drug addiction through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).

This is the way it should be. Those who are ready to forsake drug addiction should be assisted to do so while those who are steeped in the economic benefits and are not ready to be reformed should get their due comeuppance. The drug problem compounds the security situation in the country and therefore deserves to be fought and defeated at all cost.

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