NDLEA destroys N1.7bn cannabis farms in Edo
Posted by Factnews | 7 years ago | 2,060 times
Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said it had destroyed no fewer than 37 hectares of cannabis farms worth N1.7 billion.
NDLEA said that the farms located in Owan East, Owan West, Uhunmwonde and Ovia North-East Local Government Areas of the state, were destroyed between July and August, 2017.
The State Commander, Mr. Buba Wakawa, lamented that agricultural development in the state had suffered a major setback due to the activities of cannabis cultivating cartels.
Wakawa said that the legitimate use of the affected pieces of land in agricultural production would tremendously transform the economic fortunes of the state.
While describing cannabis cultivation as a major threat to food security peace and development in the state, he noted that the illegal substance weighed 178,652.70 kilogrammes.
Makawa stated, “Illegal cultivation of cannabis is a cardinal impediment to peace, development and food production in the State.
“In the last two months, we successfully destroyed 37.219 hectares of cannabis farms with over 178,652 kilogrammes of the dangerous drug valued at N1.7bn. The situation is worrisome and calls for the urgent intervention of leaders at all levels.”
The state NDLEA commander, in a statement on Friday, explained that a cannabis survey had shown that the vast expanse of fertile arable land in Edo had been completely taken over by cannabis cultivators.
The survey was conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, under the European Union funded project in collaboration with the Nigerian government and technical support from the Nigerian Air Force, to access the scope of the problem in high-risk states.
Wakawa, therefore, called on the state government to declare a state of emergency to effectively tackle the situation due to the security implications.
He also urged community leaders, civil society groups, schools, religious bodies, parents and individuals to intensify efforts in ensuring a healthy and safe society.
This, according to him, will assist in countering the activities of drug cartels in the state.
He said, “The situation calls for a state of emergency. Our operations are impeded by huge logistic constraints. Manual destruction of the farms is a far cry, considering the magnitude of cannabis cultivation, in Edo State.
“Besides, the security implications of food shortage, unemployment, deforestation, environmental degradation and high rate of criminality all affect good governance.
“The agency cannot win this fight in isolation and l call on the state government to intervene in addressing the situation before it further degenerates.”
Source: Punch
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