NDLEA records 128 convictions, 559 arrests in Anambra

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Anambra State Command, has intensified its war against illicit drugs, arresting 559 suspects and securing 128 convictions within the last 11 months.

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The State Commander, Charles Onubogu, disclosed this in Awka on Wednesday, during a press briefing ahead of the 2026 ‘International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’, observed annually on June 26.

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Onubogu added that the arrested suspects, comprising of 475 males and 84 females, were nabbed for various drug-related offences, adding that the command seized about 1.8 tonnes of different categories of illicit drugs during the period under review.

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He said the arrest underscored the significant breakthrough recorded in the ongoing war against drug trafficking and abuse in the state.

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He said, “Since I came into the command about 11 months ago, we have made seizures of more than a tonne of different categories of drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine and cannabis.

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“In all, about 1.8 tonnes of illicit substances have been recovered, with a total of 559 suspects arrested and 128 convictions secured within the last 11 months.”

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The NDLEA boss further revealed rehabilitation of 102 persons battling substance abuse within the period, comprising 99 males and three females.

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He added that many of the persons being rehabilitated were also exposed to vocational skills acquisition programmes, including soap making and tailoring, as part of efforts to facilitate their reintegration into society.

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According to him, the command has also provided counselling and quick intervention services to dozens of other drug users.

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Reiterating NDLEA’s commitment to disrupting the supply chain of illicit drugs through arrests, investigations and prosecutions, Onubogu said the agency was equally focused on reducing demand through public sensitisation, counselling and rehabilitation.

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He explained that drug users were not treated as criminals but as individuals requiring help and support.

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“What we are mainly after are drug dealers. People who use drugs have problems, and we need to help them. They are taken through intervention and counselling programmes to guide them on how to stay off drugs.

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“This year’s theme for the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, titled ‘The World Drug Problem: Persistent Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses’, underscored the place of collaboration in the fight against illicit drugs.

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“The fight against drug abuse and trafficking can’t be left to the NDLEA alone. All hands must be on deck to battle the scourge.

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“The media, being major stakeholders, civil society organisations; and the public should use their various platforms to spread the message against drug abuse and reduce the menace in society,” he added.

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Onubogu announced plans by the command to hold a road walk and other awareness activities as part of events marking the global anti-drug campaign in the state.

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Earlier, the NDLEA uncovered a multi-billion-naira clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Oyo State.

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The agency also arrested five suspects, including a Mexican national allegedly recruited to provide technical expertise for the illicit operation.

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