Niger: NDLEA destroys 21 tonnes of drugs worth over N1bn

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Niger on Monday destroyed drugs weighing 21 tonnes in Maikunkule village of Bosso Local Government Area of the state.

The state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bello, represented by the state Commissioner for Internal Security, Mr Emmanuel Umaru, who led the operation, said that, “The security of lives and property is a cardinal focus of his government.”

The NDLEA claimed that the destroyed drugs street value was worth more than N1 billion.

The Commander of NDLEA in the state, Mr Haruna Kwetishe, said that the destruction was symbolic and in line with the NDLEA Act.

“NDLEA Act mandates us to arrest drug traffickers and dealers, seize illicit drugs and prosecute all drugs related offenders who contravene the Act and destroy seized drugs publicly, in fulfilment of this mandate.

“NDLEA Niger Command obtained court orders from Federal High Court, Minna, for the public destruction of the 21 tonnes of various types of illicit substances.

“Public destruction of drugs is therefore a continuous exercise in our quest to have a drug-free and secured society in the country and the world at large,” he said.

He said that the destroyed drugs include Cannabis Sativa psychotropic substances and various grammes of other banned stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine.

“Nigeria used to be a transit port because of the activities of drug cartels that import drugs from drug producing countries to the country before smuggling same to Europe, Asia and America,” he said.