The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, has arrested nine suspects, including a 58-year-old grandfather, for alleged drug trafficking and peddling during operations across various hotspots in the state.
The Edo State Commander of Narcotics, Dr Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed the arrests in a statement made available to journalists in Benin City, saying the suspects comprised five males and four females.
Among those arrested was 58-year-old Musa Muhammed from Bauchi State, who was allegedly found in possession of 280 grammes of Cannabis sativa, 35 grammes of Loud and 1.4 grammes of Colorado.
A 17-year-old suspect, identified as Anna Agbona from Edo State, was also arrested with 25 grammes of Tramadol.
Other suspects identified by the agency include Ebere Anthony, 55, from Delta State, who was allegedly found with 1.5 kilogrammes of Cannabis sativa; Gift Oliseyenum, 31, from Delta, with 74 grammes of Cannabis sativa, 45 grammes of Loud, 2.5 grammes of Colorado and 4.7 grammes of methamphetamine; Boniface George, 27, from Delta, with 195 grammes of Cannabis sativa; and Muzamilu Mustapha, 28, from Katsina, with 40 grammes of Loud and 80 grammes of Cannabis sativa.
The agency also arrested Faustina Peter, 27, and Chucks Odili, 36, both from Delta, who were allegedly found with 35 grammes of Loud, 10 grammes of Colorado and 0.8 grammes of methamphetamine.
Julius Enebuli, 42, from Delta, was also arrested with one kilogramme of Cannabis sativa, 65 grammes of Loud and 15 grammes of Colorado.
Ofoyeju commended personnel of the command for the impact of the operation in the ongoing fight against narcotics in the state.
He said the fight against drug trafficking remained a top priority for the agency, assuring the public that investigations into drug-related activities would continue and that suspects would be diligently prosecuted where appropriate.
He also called for greater community involvement in reporting illicit drug activities, stressing that cooperation between residents and law enforcement remained important in efforts to rid communities of drug-related problems.
The arrests and seizures underscore the NDLEA’s continued efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks in Edo State and prevent illicit substances from reaching communities.
