In August, assets worth 280 million Naira were seized from drug traffickers – NDLEA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency recovered the sum of N280,389,068.08 from seized assets in August 2024. The PUNCH reports.

This is according to a report on the fight against drugs, which detailed the agency's successes in August.

The report, titled “War on Drugs,” showed that the NDLEA achieved significant milestones in its operations in the past month.

The report states that “the agency made 1,821 arrests – 1,640 men and 181 women – and seized 142,291.3 kg of various drugs.

“NDLEA charged 415 suspects, secured 414 convictions and asset seizures, and destroyed 49.63 hectares of cannabis farms.

“As part of drug demand reduction, 949 people were treated and rehabilitated and 338 public education activities were carried out.”

The NDLEA is a federal law enforcement agency established by Decree No. 48 of December 29, 1989.

The promulgation of the decree was primarily a response to the increasing demand for and trafficking in narcotics and psychotropic substances, which had a negative impact on the international image of Nigerians and Nigeria in the 1980s.

According to the report, two major drug lords were arrested.

“Notably, two major drug lords were arrested: Alhaji Sulaiman Jimoh (alias Olowoidiogede, known as Temo) was arrested in Mushin, Lagos and Alhaji Suleman Ganiu Aremu was arrested for cocaine trafficking in Saudi Arabia.

“In addition, 280,389,068.08 naira were recovered from seized assets and a workshop was held to strengthen the alternative development programme,” it said.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Alternative Development Programme aims to eliminate or prevent the cultivation of illegal crops using a methodology that incorporates a broader concept of rural development and aims to improve the overall quality of life of the target population, not only in terms of income, but also in terms of education, health, infrastructure and social services.

Recently, the Chairman and Executive Director of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retired), stated that training and certifying officers of the agency's Marine Command in basic diving, advanced open water diving and full face mask diving would prevent large shipments of cocaine into Nigeria.

He said the agency would continue to stay one step ahead of the drug cartels in terms of capabilities and capacity to ensure that they were deprived of the opportunity to smuggle illegal drugs into Nigeria.