Gift Barry-ObaThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA), said at least 605 drug users and traffickers were arrested in 2023 across Ogun State, out of which 81 were prosecuted and convicted in the court.
The State Commander of the NDLEA, Ibiba Odili, stated this while speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta on the activities of the command last year.
Out of 605 arrests, Odili said 497 were male while 108 were female.
“ For the past one year we had a total of 605 suspects breaking it down to 497 male and 108 females that is for arrest and seizures. Then for conviction we have 81 in total, male we have 70 and female we have 11.
“In the course of our arrest and daily activities, we come across people who are using drugs. Based on international best practices, these people are not called suspects, they are not sent to jail.
“Research has identified them as people suffering from chronic brain disorder. This means they need help, treatment, support and rehabilitation to get out of the drug problems,” Odili said.
And in this category, the commander said 340 of them were given brief counseling in the year under review.
She noted that the suspects are an average age of 30-60, adding that a handful of them are in their 70s.
According to her, seizures made were 14.405.3236kg of Cannabis Sativa, 1.3717kg of Methamphetamine, Cocaine – 0.1986kg; heroine:- 0.0881kg among others.
Meanwhile, Odili blamed dysfunctional families, peer pressure, poverty and social media as some of the factors responsible for the rising drug abuse in the society.
She maintained that money remains the attraction for those involved in drug trafficking.
