NDLEA impounds 392.06kg hard drugs in Kebbi

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, said on Saturday that it impounded 392.06 kilogrammes of cannabis and diazepam in 2013 in Kebbi state. Mr Okon Ulo, the agency’s Commandant in the state, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Birnin Kebbi. The statement said 108 persons were convicted while 17 suspects were awaiting tial. “The agency also counseled 18 hard drug dependent persons that included some picked from the streets and others with their parents’ consent.’’ It added that the Zuru area command of the agency had discovered and destroyed cannabis farm in the area. According to the statement, 25 per cent of hard drug abusers and traffickers were youths, stressing that the agency and stakeholders would reverse the trend. It said NDLEA had established drug treatment and counseling centres in Birnin Kebbi and Zuru where patients were trained to acquire skills. It added that the Zuru Treatment Centre had collapsed due to lack of facilities. “The agency would soon commence training of patients on Information Communication Technology (ICT) centre.’’ the statement called on the state legislature to enact a law to check the abuse and trafficking of non-conventional substances.