CANNABIS, BIGGEST DRUG CHALLENGE IN AFRICA - GIADE

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),
Ahmadu Giade said at the weekend that Cannabis otherwise known as
Indian hemp is the biggest drug challenge in the country and the
African continent.

Giade made the declaration when the Agency publicly destroyed a total
of 101,652.24 kilogrammes of narcotics which is about 102 metric
tonnes in Anambra, Delta and Edo States .

Edo State Command where 75,896 kilogrammes of hard drugs were
destroyed has the largest quantity. This is followed by Delta State
and Anambra State Commands where 22,700 kilogrammes and 3,056.24
kilogrammes of narcotics were set ablaze. The public destruction is
part of the Agency's effort to provide a drug free society for all.

Giade, decried the dangers of hard drugs to humanity and stressed
that the destruction exercises is to spite drug barons and also to
demonstrate the superiority of law enforcement agents over illicit
drug dealers.

According to Giade "the threat of narcotic drugs is palpable. It is
difficult to ignore this peril starring at us in the face. Cannabis
control constitutes the biggest drug challenge in Nigeria and Africa
. This is because it grows effortlessly in the country. This drug has
the propensity to destroy our society but we equally have the
capacity to subdue it".

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State in his goodwill message said that
it is sad that some indigenes of the State are getting involved in
the illicit drug trade when they are highly respected as good
business men and women.

"Anambra citizen has no business with illicit drugs and I assure you
that the State will partner with the NDLEA to ensure that Anambra
State and by implication the entire country is completely drug free"he said.

Giade pointed out that illegal drug business is a covert affair that
makes drug control a very cumbersome task demanding enormous
resources, training and dexterity. The NDLEA boss said that no drug
baron wants his drugs seized let alone destroyed because they have
paid so much to acquire them.

He revealed that the Edo State Command discovered and destroyed 27
hectares of cannabis farmlands within the last ten months. Similarly,
in 2007, seventeen Indian hemp farms covering 9. 43 acres were also
destroyed in communities within Delta State . This according to him
is an indication that cannabis is struggling for space with
legitimate food crops in the States.

He lamented the unhealthy development and promised that urgent
measures will be taken to right the wrong. The NDLEA will continue to
do what it loves doing, which is drug enlightenment campaign, arrest,
investigation, prosecution and public destruction of seized and
forfeited drugs. No effort will be spared in sustaining this feat.

It will be recalled that Edo State Command destroyed 31,000
kilogrammes of Indian hemp in January 2007. The fact that about
76,000 kilogrammes of cannabis is being destroyed in barely one year
after shows that the threat of hard drugs is real and must be tackled
with all sense of seriousness.

The events were witnessed by royal fathers, representatives of
military and paramilitary organizations, students and other stakeholders.