The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said it has seized 6,668 tonnes of illicit substances within two years.

The agency also stated that it has arrested over 36,096 suspects and prosecuted over 6,043 within the stipulated period of time.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, the Chairman of the anti-narcotics agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, disclosed this while responding to a request for partnership and deployment of more NDLEA officers in all parts of Katsina State by Governor Dikko Radda to tame the problem of drug abuse.

Marwa said, “The drug menace is a huge issue and has destroyed the lives of our youths and communities. It is the public enemy number one, and especially the criminal aspect of it. Ninety-nine per cent of the criminals must first have access to drugs and be under the influence to perpetrate some of their acts.

“That is why the NDLEA under the collective support of the directorates and the management has put all efforts towards operation ‘offensive action.’ This involves going out to seize all drugs cultivated, imported or on the verge of being exported out of the country.

“Over 6,668 tons of illicit substances have been seized in two years, and we assure that we will continue relentlessly until the streets are clean of drugs. This is the drug supply reduction aspect, where we arrest the perpetrators of the act, and over 36,096 suspects have been arrested and more than 6,043 already prosecuted and convicted within this period.”

Speaking earlier, the governor said he visited the agency as part of his government’s efforts to solve the problem of insecurity facing the state.

Radda noted, “We must get to the root of the problem, and the root of the problem is drug abuse by the teeming youths in the state. We know that these inhumane acts cannot be committed without the influence of drugs.”

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