The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Akwa Ibom Command, said on Sunday that it arrested 184 suspected drug offenders between January and July.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs Maria Ilugbuhi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo, and said that six of them had been convicted.

Ilugbuhi said that 154 of the suspects were males while 30 were females.

She added that during the period, the command also seized 96.39 kilogrammes of hard drugs from the suspects.

The public relations officer said the seized drugs included cocaine, heroin, cannabis sativa and psychotropic substance.

She said that the Drug Demand Reduction Unit (Counseling Unit) of the agency had counseled, rehabilitated and reunited six of the suspects with their families.

“We arrested 184 drug dealers and users and secured six convictions in the last seven months

“Over 96.39 kg of hard drugs were seized from these suspects during the period,” he said.

Ilugbuhi said that there was higher prevalence of use of cocaine and combined substances than cannabis sativa in Uyo, the state capital.

She attributed the success of the agency in arresting the suspects to the good working relationship and synergy between it and other security agencies in the state.

The PRO, however, said that inadequate funding and logistics were some of the challenges the command faced.

She urged the people to endeavour to provide the agency with useful information on drug dealers and users for prompt action.

Ilugbuhi said that the agency was working very hard to reduce illicit drug use and trade in the state, advising the people, especially the youths, to shun the vice. (NAN)

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