NDLEA destroys 523 cannabis farmland in Ondo

Officials of the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ondo State
have destroyed 523 hectares of cannabis
farmland between 2011 to date while over
148,593kgs of cannabis sativa popularly
known as marijuana in its herbal form has
been seized
within the period.
The Public Relations Officer [PRO] of the
command, Mr Archibong Peter told
newsmen in Akure that over 148, 593kgs of
the hard drug were also destroyed within
the same period.
Giving the breakdown as follows, 2011, 147
hectares , 2012, 330 hectares and between
January and September 2013, 46 hectares of
farmland have been destroyed so far .
Also within the same period, he said in
2011, 55, 472.9 kgs was seized from the
drug criminals while in 2012 another
61,242.64 kg of the weed was seized and in
2013, 31,879.4 kg was also seized .
“If this trend continues there  is the fear
that in the next few years the country will
face serious treat and timber may go into
extinction.”. there is serious destruction
going on in the forest”, he said.
The NDLEA state spokesman also disclosed
that they have made over 129 convictions
between 2009 and 2013 adding that they
have just obtained a court order that would
enable them destroy about 54,438.2 kg of
the drug now in their custody.” That will be
done publicly soon, he said”.
He stressed that the command have also in
its custody about sixteen drug users or
addicts now undergoing treatment and
rehabilitation.
According to him, “the commander
of the command Mr Walter Nicolas
has been working hard to ensure that these
drug victims were taken care of. and
not .left on the streets as some of them
don’t even have anywhere to go.” Two of
them he said wrote the last GCE exams
while another two has secured places into
higher institution.
He lamented the sorry plight of some boys
and girls being used as labour by those
involved in this illegal trade.” these people
go as far as Adamawa, Plateau and other
states to bring people they use as their
manpower without their family knowing
their where about.. this is because they go
far far into the forest at night, and when
this people wake up they will just find
themselves inside thick forest and the way
of escape will be difficult”
Archibong said even though Ondo State
indigenes were not really involved in the
cultivation, the land is porous and people
come from other states come into the state
and use the land for the illegal trade.
“Sometimes we have to treck for days into
the forest to arrest and destroy some of
these farmlands but not without serious
danger or confrontation. Ondo is the
largest producer, not consumer and
it requires a lot of intelligence to be able to
arrest the culprits”.
According to him , “two officers of the
command were killed by these men during
serious confrontation in recent times as
they see their illegal business as a way of
life and survival but now we are embarking
on serious enlightenment campaign so that
the community leaders will know the
danger in these things and we are happy
we are winning the war”, he said.
However, he appealed to parents to watch
and take proper care of their wards and
childred so that they do not fall into the
hands of these set of people who end up
enslaving them.
Marijuana also known as “weed” or “pot” is
said to be the most abused drug in the
United state of America and other parts of
the world including Nigeria.