By BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO, Lokoja

The National Drug Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has raised alarm that Kogi State is gradually turning from a drug -transit -state to a drug- cultivating – state.

NDLEA, Kogi State Commander, Mr. Alfred Adewumi who disclosed this on Monday in Lokoja while speaking on the activities of the command in 2020, said the command has turned the heat on drug barons in the state.

He said the command had already destroyed a N3 billion worth of cannabis farm cultivated in the eastern part of the state, with many others still springing up in the state. He said the command recovered within the period of January 1 2020 to December 2020 313,368.759 kg drug, with cannabis alone accounting for 305,000kg and worth over N3 billion alone.

“We have also arrested a total of 174 suspects comprising 162 male and 12 female for the period under reviewed.

“The command was able to secured 15 convictions while 17 other cases are still pending in court”.

He said assets of some of the drug Baron traced and connected to drugs, have been seized and some vehicles have actually being forfeited to the federal government while some others are still under interim forfeiture. Mr. Adewumi noted that the command carried out short intervention counselling for 126 persons and successfully rehabilitated 3 others within the year.

“The command carried out intense advocacy and sensitisation to traditional rulers and opinion influencers enlisting them to speak out against drug abuse.

He called on parent not to relent in their parenting role, “A perpetually drunken parent who puffs away on marijuana can hardly pass for a good role model or call forth in the children the kind of awe and veneration that should be the due of a responsible parent “Supportive parenting and monitoring of children’s behaviour can be a strong factor in lowering the rates of drug dealing and abuse, especially among youths, he said.

He however lauded the appointment of Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) as Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, “A new Sheriff is in town. This appointment has engendered hope, provoked new altitude of impetus and driven the adrenaline level for performance of officers and men of the agency to a new high.” (Vanguard)