With a view to ensuring peaceful inauguration of new administrations at national and sub-national levels across the country twenty-ninth May, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has launched a nationwide raid of drug joints in an exercise code-named Operation Mop Up.
According to the NDLEA, this is as part of law enforcement efforts to remove enablers of crime and violence in the form of illicit substances and those who deal in them.
The NDLEA says not less than 534 suspects have been arrested in the first few days of the commencement of the operation, during which tons of illicit drugs including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, tramadol, codeine-based syrup, cannabis sativa and various new psychoactive substances among others, were recovered across the states and the FCT.
It lists the States with high arrests and seizures to include; Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Kaduna, Rivers, Bayelsa, Adamawa, Osun, Benue and Plateau.
Its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa who ordered the operation commended all the officers and men of the state commands and other formations involved in the exercise for their professionalism and following the NDLEA standard operating procedure.
Marwa noted that he was impressed by the level of compliance with the directive to all our commands and formations to dismantle all drug joints within their areas of responsibility, mop up all illicit substances in such locations and arrest all those culpable.
He stated that this will in no small measure take out of the equation, enablers of crime and violence such as illicit drugs, their dealers and all those relying on mind altering substances to disrupt the inauguration ceremonies across the states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The NDLEA Chief charged them to continue with the operational maxim of offensive action against drug cartels and traffickers until the last gram of illicit drug is taken out of the streets and communities across the country.
His statement is made available to newsmen by the Director Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.