The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ekiti State Command, on Tuesday, said it had destroyed 246 tonnes of cannabis sativa (weeds) in the state.
The Commander of the agency, Alhaji Bage Bamaiyi, made this known in an interview, in Ado-Ekiti.
According to scientists, Cannabis sativa, otherwise known as Indian hemp, is a drug obtained from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant which is smoked or chewed for its psychoactive properties.
It produces euphoria and relaxation whose repeated use may lead to psychological dependence.
He said the command took necessary steps to uncover 17 cannabis sativa farms at Ode-Ekiti, in Gbonyin Local Government Area of state but that the pedlers were not found in their hide-outs.
“ When I received information about the 17 farms, I sent my officers to place surveillance on the farms and when I got to the farms, I observed that hectares of lands were used for cultivating cannabis.
“Three mapped cannabis farms measures 42.66 hectares and four unmapped cannabis farms measuring 8.05 hectares were destroyed, but we are unable to destroy the remaining 10 farms due to lack of logistics.
“As soon as the needed logistics are available, we will visit the farms and destroy them.
“But cannabis sativa weighing 246 tons (205 tonnes), mapped and 41 tonnes unmapped, were destroyed in the seven farms,” he said.
He assured the public of the command’s determination to eliminate business of planting and peddling cannabis in the state, adding that culprits would face the wrath of the law, when arrested.
Bamaiyi, however, appealed to government at all levels to enable the agency to perform optimally by providing it with funds, manpower and vehicles. (NAN)