• NDLEA officials at the cannabis plantation
The
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency rekindled its war against the
growing of cannabis in the South West as it destroyed over 50 hectares
of cannabis plantation in Epele Forest Reserves, Ondo State.
The agency deployed 70 operatives from
its commands in the South West and 50 labourers in an operation which
lasted all night from Monday to the early hours of Tuesday.
The growers of the weed had gone deep
into the forest to establish colonies of cannabis plantation, making it
almost inaccessible to law enforcement agents.
Chairman of the agency, Ahmadu Giade, described cannabis cultivation as a threat to national security.
He also vowed to prosecute forest guards
who turned a blind eye to criminal activities, as well as those
conniving with cannabis cultivators.
Giade said, “The NDLEA will not hesitate
to prosecute any forest guard who aids and abets cannabis cultivators.
Cannabis constitutes a serious threat to security and the NDLEA is
determined to eradicate narcotic drugs.
“Cannabis use can induce rape,
unprotected sex, political violence, murder, militancy and many more.
This is the second cannabis farm destruction within the past one month
and this shall be a continuous exercise until cannabis cultivation is
completely eradicated.
“The first one was 184 hectares while
this one is 50 hectares. We are looking forward with optimism to a time
when farmers will abandon cannabis for the cultivation of only food and
cash crops.”
The NDLEA Director of Operations and
Investigation, Mr. Olugbenga Mabo, was in charge of the operation and
was assisted by the Ondo State commander.
Mabo said the cannabis farm destruction
was a proactive strategy to cut off cannabis supply which affected the
image of the country.
He said, “We achieve more when we
destroy cannabis farms than waiting to intercept the drug after it had
been harvested by the cultivators. When citizens get caught for
trafficking cannabis outside the country, the image of Nigeria is
affected.
“Let me commend the officers that
participated in this assignment because, they worked in the rain all
night long. They surmounted several obstacles to get the job done.
“Drug control is a hazardous job, but we are working hard to overcome our challenges such as inadequate funds.”
Our correspondent reported that the men
of the agency walked for several hours in a lonely forest path to locate
the farms, accessed through muddy and slippery roads.
Some suspects were arrested who
confessed to owned some of the farms and promised to assist the agency
with information on the location of other farmsPUNCH
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