By Olakunle Oke
The Bayelsa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested 600 suspects and seized over 621 kilograms of illicit substances during the 2025 calendar year.
State Commander Kanu Sunny Chukwuemeka briefed journalists on Wednesday, revealing that the suspects, 407 males and 193 females were apprehended through undercover operations and raids on drug joints, hotels, and transport routes.
The seized cache included 621.556 kilograms of drugs, over 51,000 psychotropic tablets, and hundreds of bottles of codeine.
A primary concern highlighted by the commander was the prevalence of monkey tail, a potent mixture of cannabis and alcohol.
This substance accounted for 365.53 kilograms of the total seizures. Data from the agency shows that young adults aged 21 to 25 represent the highest demographic of drug abusers in the state, with the total street value of seized drugs estimated at over N64.7 million.
Regarding legal action, the NDLEA filed 20 cases at the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, resulting in eight convictions.
Beyond enforcement, the agency conducted 671 drug integrity tests and successfully rehabilitated 34 clients.
Commander Chukwuemeka called for increased collaboration between the state government and the agency to address the rising trend of substance abuse among Bayelsa residents.
