The Bayelsa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said it arrested 193 drug users in the state.
The arrests were made between July 2022 and June this year, according to the state Commander of the NDLEA, Matthew Ewah, who stated this at a press briefing on Saturday as part of the command’s activities to mark the 2023 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Yenagoa.
Ewah said the command seized a total of 88.019 kilogrammes of illicit substances made up of Cannabis sativa (54.298kg), cocaine (0.014kg), Heroin (0.027kg), Methamphetamine (0.128kg), Tramadol (1.872kg), Diazapam (6.952kg), Swino/Raphinol (0.023kg), Exol-5 (0.6kg), Pentagocine (1.65kg), mixtures of C/S and alcohol (22.455kg) and ampules of injection.
Ewah also said the command filed 32 cases and secured nine convictions, while 28 matters were pending in court.
He said, “Four (suspects) were arrested with three locally-made pistols, one battle axe and 11 cartridges, and transferred to the police. One (case of) kidnap was also transferred to the police.”
According to him, the command under its anti-drug activities, carried out 150 drug-prevention education programmes in schools, marketplaces, communities, worship centres and media houses.