We arrested 3,108, seized 1,735.7 kg of Indian Hemp, other hard drugs between January and September ― NDLEA

The chairman, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mallam Muhammad Abdallah on Monday said that the agency as at September this year arrested 3,108 suspects and seized 1735.737 kilograms of Indian Hemp, cocaine and other psychotropic substances.

The NDLEA boss disclosed this during the 2021 budget proposal and details of 2020 budget performance of the Agency before the House of Representatives Committee on Drugs and Narcotics.

According to him, the suspects arrested were; 2,737 males and 371 females adding that, 689 have been prosecuted.

He lamented that the agency also lost 67 staff in the line of duty within the same period.

He, however, lamented that the agency was being heavily underfunded which has been affecting its operations.

He said the NDLEA has 49 formations in the states and the FCT, Abuja as well as at airports, seaports, borders and the National Headquarters.

He said each state and the FCT commands has a minimum of three Area Commands to ensure grassroots coverage and they all require necessary logistics to function.

According to him, “with the paltry Recurrent Overhead Cost allocation of about N393 million yearly and a monthly sum of about N32.7 million which is not regularly released fully, it is difficult to fund these formations adequately to enable them to function effectively.

“The amended 2020 Appropriation Act further reduced the monthly releases to N15 million per month, yet the agency maintains effective operations in all these commands including the National Headquarters.”

In his remarks, the Chairman of the committee, Rep. Francis Ottah Agbo (PDP, Benue) said that the war against narcotic drug addiction and trafficking which was the main mandate of NDLEA needed collective efforts to be executed successfully.

While acknowledging the challenges faced by the agency, he urged them to work with other sister agencies as well as international organisations to fight the menace.

According to him, “I know the NDLEA is underfunded, understaffed and ill-equipped. It is even more scandalous that you still use weapons used during the Nigeria Civil war for your operation.”

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