Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded major gains in the fight against drug trafficking in Sokoto State, arresting 146 suspects and seizing close to one tonne of illicit substances within four months.
The Sokoto State Commander of the NDLEA, Mustapha Muhammad Gidado, disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking to our correspondent on the command’s operational achievements since his assumption of office.
Gidado said the arrests cut across age brackets and criminal networks, including a 72-year-old suspect, a development he noted reflects the deep-rooted and persistent nature of drug trafficking and abuse in the country.
According to him, 13 of the suspects have been convicted by courts of competent jurisdiction, while 18 others are currently facing prosecution, as the agency intensifies efforts to dismantle drug supply chains.
The Commander also highlighted the NDLEA’s demand-reduction strategy, revealing that 18 drug-dependent persons were rehabilitated and reunited with their families as part of a balanced enforcement and public health approach.
Among the notable seizures were 54 cartons of codeine based cough syrup intercepted along the Nigeria–Niger Republic border, a corridor he described as increasingly targeted by transnational drug syndicates.
He added that operatives uncovered 15 bags of cannabis sativa concealed in sacks of sawdust and trafficked from Edo State, alongside 198 blocks of cannabis, diazepam, and other prohibited substances meant for local distribution.
Gidado attributed the successes to credible intelligence, enhanced surveillance, and sustained collaboration with sister security agencies, while commending the Sokoto State Government for its consistent support.
He stressed that the achievements align with NDLEA’s national mandate to protect communities from the social and security threats of narcotics, urging citizens to continue providing actionable information, with assurances of confidentiality.
The Commander reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to sustain the offensive against drug abuse and trafficking, warning that NDLEA would not relent until illicit drugs are decisively curtailed in Sokoto State and across Nigeria.
