The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kwara yesterday said it arrested 225 suspected drug traffickers and seized 809,200 kilograms of illicit drugs in the state from January to June, this year.
The acting state Commander of the agency, Odewale Adebimpe, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in commemoration of the year 2023 United Nations Drug Free Day, in Ilorin.
The theme of the event was “People first: Stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention”.
She said during the period the command secured 57 convictions, counselled 99 inmates while 39 cases were pending in court.
According to her, the slow pace of the criminal justice system and reluctance of some judicial officers to visit the full wrath of the law on offenders was a setback in countering narcotics efforts in the country.
She expressed worry over the involvement of students of institutions of higher learning in drug abuse.
On her part, the Chairperson, Kwara Drug Control Committee, Mrs. Barakat Olanrewaju, called for collaboration of all stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse.
She also appealed to parents to have interest in the activities of their children to prevent them from joining bad groups.
Olanrewaju said that the committee was working with the state Ministry of Education to ban all shops that were selling alcoholic drinks by school gates.
She alleged that they were the ones selling hard drugs to the students. (NAN)