The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Edo State has destroyed two cannabis farms in Ago Forest, located in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, as part of its crackdown on illegal drug activities.
The agency’s state commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed on Monday that the destroyed cannabis plantations had a combined yield of 1,388.42 kilograms. He added that four suspected drug traffickers were arrested during separate operations carried out across the state within the past week.
According to him, no suspects were arrested during the destruction of the farms, as the cultivators had fled before operatives arrived.In a separate operation, NDLEA officers raided several locations in Benin City and nearby communities, leading to the arrest of three women and one man suspected of drug trafficking.
The suspects were identified as Eniye Osague, 25; Osaretin Erabor, 43; Vivian Chukwuma, 38; and Osigwe Omogie, 44.Ofoyeju said Osague was arrested behind the Oredo Local Government Secretariat on May 15 with 272 grammes of Scottish loud. Erabor was apprehended at the same location with 914 grammes of cannabis.
Vivian Chukwuma was arrested in the Oluku area of Benin City with various hard drugs, including cannabis loud, Colorado, methamphetamine and tramadol. The fourth suspect, Osigwe Omogie, was arrested in Uhumwonde Local Government Area with cannabis and tramadol.
The NDLEA also said it partnered with the Niger Delta Development Commission to organise a three-day anti-drug sensitisation programme for students in Benin City.
The campaign, held from May 13 to 15, focused on the dangers of drug abuse and its link to cultism among secondary school students.
Participating schools included Edo College, Western Boys High School and Uselu Grammar School, with over 1,700 students attending.