The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kwara State command, has arrested of 74 suspects with 391.26 kilogramme of hard drugs between January and July 2016.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin last weekend, the state commander of the agency, Mr. Apeh Reuben, said that 62 of the suspects were males, while 12 were females.
The NDLEA boss, who said that 14 people had been convicted by the state high court, Ilorin on offences including possession and smoking of hard drugs, added that their sentences ranged from 12 months to eight years imprisonment.
He also said that five suspected drug users were arrested in an uncompleted building around Baboko area of Ilorin metropolis on Thursday, August 4, “with functional sophisticated locally-made pistols, ready for operation.”
He lamented the drug situation in the state which he said had taken dangerous dimension, as addicts had to engage in armed robbery and pilfering to keep up the habit in the face of hike in drug prices.
“This of course reveals that all drug users or consumers are potential armed robbers. Their inability to afford the cost of drug could make them armed robbers,” he said.
Mr. Reuben added that most of the arrested persons were smokers between ages of 19 and 50 years, saying that many of them were counselled and 30 among them were rehabilitated and released to their families.
The NDLEA boss, who called for stronger collaboration of government, private organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the agency, said that none of the eight commands of the agency in the state had operational vehicle.
He also charged parents to be more responsible to upbringing of their children, adding that they should know company their children keep.
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