NDLEA ARRESTS 16 HEMP DEALERS

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Zone 16 Command
comprising Enugu and Ebonyi states has apprehended 19 cannabis (Indian
hemp) dealers with 52.38 kilograms of the substance recovered from the
suspects.

The Zonal Commander of the agency, Chief Adoga Anyebe parading four of
the suspects in Enugu said that the arrests were made within Ebonyi
and Enugu states between June and this month, following the battle
intensified against drug dealers in the zone by operatives of the
agency. He said that the highest arrest and recovery of Indian hemp
ever recorded in the zone was made last week when 41.5 kilograms of
the prohibited substance was recovered from two drug barons at 9th
Mile Corner, near Enugu, adding that the two suspects, Messrs Emmanuel
Dick Ukpabi (alias Early Momo) from Ohaozara and Onwe Ikechukwu from
Ezza both in Ebonyi State, would soon be charged to court.

According to Anyebe, out of the 19 arrested drug dealers, eight had
been prosecuted, six convicted and sentenced to various jail terms,
while two cases are pending in court. He added that 11 suspects were
awaiting trial while five other suspects were counselled with two of
them successfully rehabilitated into the society. Three of the addicts
are still undergoing counselling.

He said that the agency also made a shocking discovery of a popular
radio presenter attached to a radio station in Enugu (names withheld)
who, he said, had been praising the effort of the agency in battling
drug barons only to be indicted for peddling the illicit drug. Anyebe
said that the presenter was arrested recently with some quantity of
Indian hemp and was already in their net, stressing that his applause
for the agency was deceptive.

The NDLEA zonal commander called for the assistance of the two state
governments under the command, especially in the area of logistics to
enable them intensify their operations with a view to flushing out
dealers and producers of the illicit drug from the areas.

Decrying what he described as hasty bails being granted drug barons by
law courts in the country, Anyebe said that the development was posing
great danger to operatives of the agency, as the barons, after such
bail was granted, normally threaten to kill officials of the agency
for exposing them.

"Since the consequences of drug on the society are enormous, no drug
baron needs mercy and as such do not deserve bail. In many cases, the
court will grant bail only for the dealers to come out and start
threatening to kill the NDLEA officials".