The Bayelsa State Command of the
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA, has disclosed that the fight against illicit drug trafficking has continued to yield result with the recent arrest of 155 suspects for various illicit drugs offences in the state.
The state NDLEA Commander, Kanu Chukwuemeka, made the disclosure on Wednesday while addressing newsmen in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Speaking during the 2024 United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit trafficking, with the theme, ‘The evidence is clear: Invest in Prevention’, he also stated that the Command has made seizures of 97.826kg of various illicit drugs.
He lamented the incessant attacks on the Command’s personnel and lack of a marine unit and gunboats to prosecute the war against drug abuse and trafficking in the coastal areas.
“Lagos State as a state with coastal communities has a full fledged marine unit with gunboats, Bayelsa with riverine coastal communities also deserve a marine unit and gunboats, this we have been clamouring for.
“Our men are always attacked while on duty by youths. Though this has constituted a challenge, it has not deterred them from performing their duties,” he said.
On the successes recorded, he said the command under his leadership has admitted 14 youths for in-patient drug rehabilitation out of which six have been rehabilitated and discharged.
“The NDLEA also carried out Integrity Drug Test for early detection, prevention and even treatment of substance abuse. And we have successfully carried out this test on over 100 persons in the state from January to date.
“And for brief intervention counseling cases, the Command have counselled 107 clients, made up of 76 male and 31 female.
“Besides, the Command have taken the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through drug sensitization to communities, schools, churches, motor parks, markets and radio stations thus reaching out to every soul in Bayelsa state.”