NDLEA arrested 577 drug suspects at MMIA in 2015

A total of 577 drug suspects were arrested by two commands of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in 2015.

While 438 drug suspects were arrested by the Lagos command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA between January and November 2015, the airport command arrested 139 suspects same period.

The Lagos State commander of the NDLEA Alhaji Aliyu Sule, who disclosed this in an interview in his office in Lagos on the activities of his command in 2015 also disclosed that a total of 7315 kilo grams (over 7 tonnes ) of various drugs were seized during the period.

The breakdown showed that cannabis 7313. 06 kilo grams, Heroine 413.5 grams, Cannabis sativa 480 grams were seized.

Alhaji Sule disclosed that there has been a drop in the number of arrest this year compared to the previous years adding that the command was becoming more pro active than before in trailing suspects.

According to him, the NDLEA Lagos command between 2011 and 2012 made a seizure of drugs between 10 tonnes and 8 tonnes compared to the 7 tonnes this year.

Alhaji Sule explained that the command has continue to swoop at the drugs suspects hide out and mount road blocks on the highways to arrest suspects adding that it was responsible for the decline.

He appealed to Nigerians to cooperate with NDLEA as the war against drug trafficking was a collective responsibility.

Alhaji Sule who regretted various attacks on his men while carrying out their duties also appealed to well meaning Nigerians, Corporate bodies and the government to come to their aid by providing logistics for them to carry out their duties more effectively.

Meanwhile, the Murtala Muhammed Airport Command of the NDLEA said it also arrested 139 drug traffickers at the airport the period under review.

The airport commander of NDLEA, Garba Ahmadu also in an interview disclosed that out of the 139, suspects 119 were male while 20 female were apprehended.

According to Ahmadu, the command made 590.9 kilo grams of seizure while between 115 and 120 cases were before the Federal High Court and 17 convicted.

Ahmadu explained that the command last year made a seizure of 436,065kg while it increased this year to 590,9kg..

According to him 129 suspects were arrested last year while 139 suspects were arrested this year. He attributed the increase in arrest to officers more awareness to tricks employed by traffickers and trainings of officers .

Ahmadu enumerated means of drug concealment by drug traffickers to include, bags, shoes, injections adding that the more worrisome trend include the use of indomie pack and tomato paste to concealed drugs.

He said that officers of the agency were at alert at the airport putting their trainings and machines to practice.

Garba stressed the need for more training of officers and funding of the agency advising would be drug traffickers to steer clear of the airport.