National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Bayelsa State Command says it has arrested 155 suspects for various illicit drugs offences in the state. The state NDLEA Commander, Kanu Chukwuemeka, who stated this on Wednesday, while addressing newsmen in Yenagoa, said the command also made seizure of 97.826 kgs of illicit drugs. He spoke against the backdrop of the activities marking the 2024 United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit trafficking, with the theme, “The evidence is clear: Invest in Prevention.” According to him, the arrested suspects include 110 male and 45 female, totalling 155 suspects. Reiterating the importance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit trafficking which is marked globally on 26th June every year to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving a world free drugs, he noted that this year’s theme is aimed at clearing doubts that prevention does not work, as the saying goes that “prevention is not only better than cure, but it is also cheaper than cure”
He lamented the incessant attacks on the command’s personnel and lack of a marine unit and gunboats to fight the war against drugs abuse and Illicit trafficking in the coastal area where there are preponderance of suspects who hide under the inaccessibility of the coastal communities to perpetrate the crime. “Lagos state as a state with coastal communities has 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 duties by youths. Though this has constitute a challenge, but 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 and 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 counselling cases, the command has counselled 107 clients, made up of 76 male and 31 female. Besides, the command has taken the War Against Drug Abuse ( WADA) campaign through drug sensitisation to communities, schools, churches, motor parks, markets and radio stations thus reaching out to every soul in Bayelsa state.”
