Nelson Utip
The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended166 suspected drug traffickers and recovered 5.7 tonnes of illicit narcotics in the first quarter of 2026. This is as it intensifies its crackdown on drug trafficking and abuse across the state.
This was conveyed in an operational statistics released by The Command and signed by Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju. It shows that the arrests and seizures were recorded between January and March, reflecting sustained intelligence-led operations targeting drug trafficking networks and illicit drug distribution.
A breakdown of the figures showed that 46 suspects were arrested in January, during which operatives seized 2,375.5298 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs.
In February, the command apprehended 56 suspects and recovered 900.8939 kilograms of narcotics.
The highest monthly arrest was recorded in March, when 64 suspected drug traffickers were taken into custody and 2,467.6781 kilograms of illicit drugs were intercepted.
The command also made significant progress in prosecuting offenders during the period. In January, it filed seven cases before the Federal High Court and secured seven convictions, while 105 cases remained pending.
In February, prosecutors filed three additional cases and obtained 14 convictions, reducing the number of pending cases to 96.
By March, 10 fresh cases had been instituted, resulting in 15 convictions, while 86 cases remained pending before the court.
A wider operational report indicates that a total of 13,714.9233 kilograms of cannabis sativa was confiscated during the reporting period.
Other illicit drugs recovered included 0.00601 kilogram of cocaine, 0.029 kilogram of heroin, 1.50104 kilograms of methamphetamine, 183.0699 kilograms of psychotropic substances and 2,048 bottles of codeine-based syrup, equivalent to 204.8 litres.
In a major blow to illicit cannabis cultivation, NDLEA operatives in the state identified and destroyed 45 cannabis plantations covering 77.5122197 hectares.
The destroyed farms were estimated to have yielded about 193,491.1568 kilograms of cannabis.
The report also indicates that The Command arrested 462 suspects comprising 309 males and 153 females during the wider reporting period.
On the prosecution front, The Agency secured 55 convictions, filed 84 cases before the Federal High Court and had 104 cases pending as it continued efforts to ensure offenders were brought to justice.
Aside from enforcement, The Command sustained its drug demand reduction programme by counseling and rehabilitating 300 drug-dependent persons before successfully reuniting them with their families.
According to The Commander, the achievements highlight The Command’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking syndicates, suppressing illicit cannabis cultivation, prosecuting offenders and reducing substance abuse through a combination of law enforcement and rehabilitation programmes across Edo State.
