Osun NDLEA Discovers 9.5 Hectares of Cannabis Farms at Ifedayo, Oriade LGAs
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Osun State Command has revealed that
it discovered and destroyed 9.5 hectares of Cannabis Farms (23.759 tones) of cannabis sativa at Ifedayo and Oriade local government areas in 2023.
Aside from the discovery, the agency noted the arrest of 252 suspects, seized 2 tons of illicit drugs and recorded 57 convictions between January and December 2023.
NDLEA Osun State Commandant, Nnadi Chidi, in a statement signed by the Command Public Affairs Officer, Charles Odigie on Saturday also disclosed that 214 males and 38 females, totalling 252, were arrested within the period.
Within the period under review, the Command disclosed that it was able to secure the convictions of 57 accused persons who were sentenced to various jail terms ranging from three months to five years imprisonment with 47 cases pending.
The statement revealed that “within the same period, the drug supply reduction efforts led to the discovery and destruction of 9.5 hectares of Cannabis Farms (23.759 tones) of cannabis sativa at Ifedayo and Oriade local government areas.
“Balancing supply and demand reductions, the Command equally embarked on War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy on substance abuse suppression in the state. The Agency had a brief counseling intervention of 79 People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) and also embarked on awareness/sensitization programmes in religious houses, schools, motor parks, markets, workplaces, etc.”
Refuting the allusion that Osun State is the second highest cannabis-producing state in the South West, Nnadi stressed that though there was a slight increase in the use of ‘loud’ and other cannabis strains in the state, empirically and going by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 2018 report, the state remained 5th in the prevalence of drug use and cultivation in the region.
Nnadi, however, expressed gratitude to the NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd), and the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke for their unalloyed cooperation and determined stance to rid the state and Nigeria of substance abuse.
He also assured Osun State residents of the agency’s resolve to make Osun uncomfortable for cannabis cultivators and dealers and then advised those peddling such narcotics to desist.
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