Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig-Gen Mohammed Marwa (retd) has assured of tougher times for drug barons and cartels operating in Nigeria, insisting that they must back out of their criminal trade and embrace legitimate ventures to escape the wrath of the agency.
Marwa gave the assurance, yesterday while leading stakeholders to witness the crushing and setting ablaze of 1.8 tons of cocaine recovered by the agency from a warehouse in the Ikorodu area of Lagos last week.
It would be recalled that NDLEA had in a well-coordinated and intelligence-led operation that lasted two days last week stormed a hidden warehouse on 6, Olukunola Street, Solebo Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos where 1.8 tons of cocaine were recovered and five suspects, including a Jamaican, arrested.
Following the seizure, which is the largest in the agency’s history, an order of a Federal High Court in Lagos was obtained for the public destruction of the consignment.
Speaking at the venue of the public destruction in the Badagry area of Lagos, Marwa who was represented by the agency’s Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, Deputy Commander General of Narcotics, Sunday Joseph, said the sheer volume of the drug haul, with street value put at $278,250 million, equivalent to N194.77 billion, speaks volume about the extent of the nefarious activities of the drug underworld.
He said this has made it imperative for Nigerians to continue to support NDLEA in the renewed war against illicit drugs.
According to him, “Out of the 1.8-ton seizure, 1, 828 blocks of the cocaine will be crushed and set ablaze while the remnant will be secured for purpose of prosecution of the suspects, who were brought to witness the procedure and sign the certificate of destruction.
The agency is proceeding with the prosecution of those arrested in connection with this consignment. On this, the public can rest assured that NDLEA shall pursue the trial to a logical conclusion.
“Since January 25, 2021, when we commenced our offensive action against drug traffickers, the agency has secured record convictions.
“Presently, 2,904 drug offenders are serving various jail terms, while other cases are ongoing in court, which we are confident will end in positive results too.”
