NDLEA Destroys 30 Hectares Of Cannabis Plantation In Cross River

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed a sprawling 30-hectare cannabis sativa farm discovered deep within a forest in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Speaking on Saturday in Calabar, the state commander of the NDLEA, Mrs. Rachel Umebuali, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the operation also led to the arrest of several suspects connected to the illegal cultivation. She expressed concern that some members of the local community were shielding the drug syndicates.

According to Umebuali, officers recovered 163.9kg of cannabis seeds from the plantation. Between January and June this year, the command also seized a combined total of 6,716.8kg of various illicit drugs. A breakdown shows 2,935kg of cannabis sativa, 129.6kg of methamphetamine, 82.7kg of psychotropic substances, 33.3 litres of cannabis mixtures, 47.7kg of cocaine, 32.3kg of heroin, 69.7kg of opioids and barbiturates, and 5 grams of ecstasy.

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The agency also arrested 191 suspects and secured the conviction of 15 persons during the same period.

“What is particularly troubling is that most of these traffickers are not indigenes of Cross River. They lure locals with money, who in turn protect them by withholding critical information about their activities,” she said.

Umebuali added that with support from the state First Lady, Mrs. Eyoanwan Otu, the command successfully marked this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking under the theme, “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention.”

She further noted that the agency conducted 191 sensitisation campaigns across schools, markets, religious institutions and NGOs from January to June to curb drug abuse.

However, Umebuali lamented that underfunding and inadequate logistics remain significant challenges hampering the command’s operations.