From Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The Kwara State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested three suspected suppliers of illicit drug substances in different locations of the state.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, yesterday, on efforts aimed at reducing supply of hard drugs, the state commander of the NDLEA, Mohammed Bashir Ibrahim, said the arrest was made within one week.
NDLEA boss, who described one of the suspected drug traffickers, Nwankwo Chidiebere Innocent, as a major supplier of psychotropic substances in the state capital, added that two other suspects; Solomon Sonowo and Abubakar Tijani, were arrested for drug related offences.
“In the past one week, the command intercepted four kilograms of cannabis sativa, which is Indian hemp, meth and methamphetamine, from one Solomon Sonowo, aged 24, at Bode Saadu, in the Moro Local Government Area of the state. Abubakar Tijani, age 33, was also arrested at Bode Saadu with 14kg of cannabis sativa.
“And there was an arrest of one of the major distributors of psychotropic drugs in Kwara State, who gave his name as Chidi Godwin. He was arrested last year with a name given as Chidi Jonathan. The development aroused our interest to dig further with a visit to his house, and we found out that his real name is Nwankwo Chidiebere Innocent. He’s a notorious supplier of psychotropic substances in the state. He has no shop, meaning that he’s not a registered patent medicine seller.
“He sent his consignment from Lagos State and the goods were intercepted on August 12. He was called to come and collect his consignment, and he was arrested thereafter. Exhibits include tramadol weighing 1.950 kilograms, diazepam of 2.950 kilograms and 179 grams of pentazocine.”
The NDLEA commander said the suspect had been in the business for several years, “for him to have been arrested last year and this year again. His arrest will cut the supply and availability of psychotropic substances within the state.”
He said the three suspects would be charged to the Federal High Court after the conclusion of investigation on them. He lamented that analysis of drug seizure and arrest of suspects between January and June 2023 showed that 85 percent of suspects fall between the ages of 14 and 40 years. He added that 89 percent of those that undergo brief counselling and resident rehabilitation in the command centre were in the same age bracket.
“Hence, we’re intensifying our sensitisation campaign and advocacy activities, to get the message down among our publics, especially youth, on the need to shun illicit substances.”
He thanked members of the NURTW for the cooperation in the fight against movement of hard drugs and appealed to commercial drivers, who collect messages from people to help them deliver, to be security conscious and always have an idea of what’s being conveyed.
“We’ve intensified our patrol activities, stop-and-search at almost all entries and exits of the Ilorin metropolis to cut supply of Illicit substances into the state.”
The NDLEA commander, who warned dealers in illicit substances to quit dealing in the business or leave the state, said the music has changed with his assumption of office in the state. He said the resolve of the command was to reduce availability and consumption of psychotropic substances in the state to the nearest minimum.