The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has seized over 100 million pills of the pharmaceutical opioid, Tramadol, in 22 months.
Its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa said the seizures and others were worth over N450 billion.
He spoke during the Commands Awards/Commendations and decoration of newly promoted officers at the agency’s National Headquarters, Abuja.
According to him, within the period under review, the NDLEA arrested 23, 907 drug traffickers, including 29 barons.
He said the seizure was over 5,500 tons or 5.5 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs, which together with cash seized are worth over N450 billion.
According to him, in the same period, we have taken the fight to the doorsteps of cannabis growers by destroying 772. 5 hectares of cannabis farms.
In his words, in the 22 months, they have record convictions of 3, 434 offenders, and made good strides in our drug demand reduction efforts where the number of those counselled and rehabilitated is 16, 114.
He admits the figures are mere statistics until you view them through the lens of human impact and the good or harm that could have come to society, the impact on public health, security as well as law and order if those dangerous drugs had gone to the street.
According to him, take, for instance, the one hundred million pills of tramadol seized in the past 22 months, saying if those pills had gone into circulation and ended up in the hands of young people, it would take a heavy toll on lives, families, and productivity.
“Ultimately, the GDP of the country would have been affected because it will affect these young people who are the engine room of productivity.”