NDLEA destroys 33 hectares of cannabis farms in Ondo, Edo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed 33 hectares of cannabis farms in Ondo and Edo in the past week.

The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said 29 hectares of cannabis farm was destroyed on July 20 in the Ofosu forest in Ondo state by operatives.

He said the quartet of Osamezu George Chukwuemeka, 51, who owned the farm; his wife Kate Osamezu, 43; Agboola Wasiu, 37, and Mustapha Sanni, were arrested during the operation.

Mr Babafemi said operatives recovered 118.5kg of processed cannabis from the farm.

“In another raid of the warehouse of a suspect at Elegbeka, Ose Local Government Area, not less than 107 jumbo bags of the same illicit substance weighing 1,132.5kg were recovered on Monday, July 17,” he said.

Similarly, operatives in Sokoto State arrested a suspect, Charles Nwankwo, 50, with 610kg of cannabis in the Tamaje area of Sokoto on July 21.

Mr Babafemi said operatives in Yobe on the same day nabbed a fleeing suspect, Shaibu Musa, 29, in Dawasa while offering them a N500,000 bribe following the seizure of a 36kg skunk in his house on July 19.

He said operatives on July 17 raided the Utese forest in Ovia North East Local Government Area in Edo and arrested Victor Asukwo with 59 bags of processed cannabis sativa weighing 640kg.

“His two cannabis farms measuring 1.489895 hectares and 2.445295 hectares were destroyed.

“Also, Endurance Chukwuma, 50, was arrested with seven bags of processed cannabis sativa weighing 68kg, while his cannabis farm measuring 0.254324 hectares was destroyed,” Mr Babafemi said.

(NAN)