Chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), disclosed this on Thursday in Asaba, the State capital, when he led a
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has destroyed nearly over 1,000 hectares of land devoted to the cultivation of illicit drugs in Delta State in the last two years.He said over 6,000 tonnes of illicit drugs had been seized while over 36,000 suspects and persons of interest had been arrested, while over 6,000 were convicted and jailed.
Marwa traced the rampant kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, insurgency, rape, murder, and other vices across the country to hard drug abuse by perpetrators.According to him, he was in Delta State to condole with the Fidelis family on the death of a two-year-old Eromonsele, was accidentally shot and lost his life during an NDLEA operation in Asaba, and to also speak with stakeholders playing important roles in the fight against drug trafficking in the country.
He said drug abuse prevalence rate in Delta State among those of people of ages 15 and 64 years was 18 per cent, with over half a million of the population involved.