CHINEDU WOSU YENAGOA
Bayelsa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA on Wednesday paraded 64 persons in connection with over 38 kilograms of illicit drugs in the state.
The 64 suspects, who include 45 males and 19 females, NDLEA said, were arrested for the months of January to April, 2017 for offences ranging for peddling cocaine, heroin, cannabis and other psychotropic drugs.
The command also said during the arrest of some of the suspects, it recovered one locally made pistol and a revolver pistol, one hand grenade, five rounds of ammunition and a handcuff from a suspect.
Parading the suspects in the Command Headquarters in Yenagoa, State Commander, NDLEA, Mrs. Josephine Obi said the suspects were arrested in separate locations such as Ogbia, Yenagoa, East/West road area and in Kaiama all the Bayelsa state.
She also said that the command impounded a Toyota Jeep, V8 from one of the middle men that drug barons used in conveying drugs, insisting that the command is still combing for the big barons
Obi equally said, over 239 persons have been counseled on the dangers of using hard drugs, as drugs do no good to the community, individuals and the country.
‘Smoking or using drugs is not good for the body and the country, but rather influences an individual to commit crimes and appealed to parents to warn their children and wards to desist from hard drugs’.
Obi further said, ‘Drugs is not alcohol. It has negative effects on individuals. Talk to your neighbors and friends to shun taking drugs’.
According to NDLEA, ‘a drug user is not primarily a criminal, but using drugs can push one to commit crimes’
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She lamented that the command has not been able to prosecute any case in court since late 2016, noting that the absence of the judge of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa affects its operations as the cells are congested with suspects.
The 64 suspects, Mrs. Josephine Obi said, would be prosecuted accordingly pending when the judge of the Federal High court in Yenagoa resumes sitting.
Mrs. Obi said drugs recovered from the suspects include, Cannabis, Cocaine, Heroin and Psychotropic substances
NDLEA, she said, is committed to extending its operations to all the nooks and crannies of the state including the riverine communities, but appealed to Bayelsa State government and other individuals to assist the command with logistics to perfect its operations in the state.
NDLEA, Obi said, is moving from a reactive to a proactive organization and solicited cooperation from the public in terms of information gathering
