The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 39 suspected drug traffickers and destroyed two large cannabis farms in the state during operations conducted in May 2025.
According to the Edo State Commander of the agency, Mitchell Ofoyefu, who presented his first monthly operational scorecard in Benin City on Monday, the command also seized over 1,303.8858 kilograms of illicit drugs during the period.
Breakdown of Arrests and Seizures
Ofoyefu revealed that the arrests included 18 males and 21 females, who were apprehended during several raid operations across the state. The command discovered and destroyed cannabis farms measuring a total of 0.782961 hectares in the Uzebba and Ohosu forests located in Owan West and Ovia South West local government areas, respectively.
"During the operation, a cannabis farm measuring 0.265874 hectares was destroyed in the Uzebba forest while another 0.517087 hectares was destroyed in Ohosu," Ofoyefu stated.
The seized drugs included:
- Cannabis sativa: 1,133.337 kilograms
- Psychotropic substances: 118.4986 kilograms
- Methamphetamines: 0.14103 kilograms
- Cocaine: 0.0024 kilograms
- Codeine cough syrup: 65.7 litres
- Pentazocine: 2,000 millilitres
New Mandate and Prevention Initiatives
The Edo State Commander disclosed that he has been mandated by NDLEA Chairman, Mohammed Marwa, to trace and dismantle cannabis cultivating syndicates in the state.
"I have the mandate of the chairman and CEO of the agency to also extend the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign to young adults and adolescents in schools, churches, and mosques," Ofoyefu explained.
He added that the command would engage in targeted prevention and education campaigns to mitigate drug and substance use. "We are launching a robust public awareness initiative to educate the community members about the perils of drug abuse and the importance of seeking early help," he said.
This operation represents a significant step in the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse in Edo State, as authorities continue to target both the supply and demand sides of the illicit drug trade.
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