The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Edo State Command, has destroyed five cannabis farms and arrested three suspected drug traffickers in separate operations across the state.
The state commander of the agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Benin City on Monday.
Ofoyeju said the cannabis farms were gradually spreading across forests in the state, urging local government chairmen to collaborate with the agency to tackle the illicit cultivation of cannabis.
“We have arrested three suspected drug traffickers and destroyed five cannabis farms. The cannabis farms are gradually taking over our forests, and I am calling on the local government chairmen to collaborate with the NDLEA to stem the illicit cultivation of cannabis.
“We cannot continue this way because what began as a little garden is turning into a large plantation. These farms were destroyed in the past two weeks.
Chairmen of local government councils are closer to the people, and we need their active collaboration,” Mitchell stated.
According to the statement, two of the farms, measuring 0.928744 hectares, were discovered at Monday Camp, Usen Forest, in Ovia South-West Local Government Area, while another two, covering 1.004278 hectares, were found at Igwe-Oke Forest in Owan East LGA.
The fifth farm, measuring 0.336646 hectares, was located at Ogboha Forest in Owan West LGA.
The five plantations covered a combined 2.269668 hectares and had an estimated yield of 5,674.17 kilogrammes of cannabis.
During the raid on the Ogboha Forest farm, operatives arrested a 39-year-old suspect, Sunday Segun.
In a separate operation at Bob-Izua Park, New Road, Okada, operatives arrested another suspect, Hassan Mohammed, with 7.1kg of cannabis, three knives and charms.
The command also intercepted a vehicle carrying a large quantity of illicit drugs during a patrol operation in Auchi.
The consignment comprised 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 50,000 capsules of Tramadol 100mg, 100 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and 25,000 tablets of Diazepam.
A 25-year-old suspect, Jamie Zubaru, was arrested in connection with the consignment and is assisting the agency with further investigation.
Ofoyeju said the command would continue its operations against illicit drug trafficking and cultivation as part of efforts to protect public health.
