Pubdate: Tue, 09 Dec 2003 Source: Vanguard (Nigeria) Copyright: 2003 Vanguard. Contact: http://www.vanguardngr.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2890 Authors: Kingsley Omonobi, and Osaro Okhomina AGENCY ATTRIBUTES RISE IN VIOLENCE TO HIGH NARCOTICS INTAKE THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said weekend that the recent rise in cases of renewed violence in Delta State, particularly between youths of contending groups in the oil communities, was caused by a rise in the intake of narcotic drugs. Delta State Commander of the agency, Mr. Aju Okopi-amen who made the disclosure explained that in the last six months, 17699kg of cannabis, 3.3kg of psychotropic substances, 882 pinches of heroin and 283 pinches of cocaine valued at N88.5million have been seized. Disclosing that 720 convicts among whom are 632 males and 88 females were caught and are being detained in various cells in the state, the NDLEA boss said, "the singular rise in drug addiction could be responsible for the resurgent ethnic hostilities and youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region. "Cannabis alias Indian hemp is by far the most problematic indigenous drug issue the Delta State Command has had to contend with" he said adding, "it produces human suffering of immense proportion." He continued, "It has wrecked homes, killed many of our invaluable youths through mental illness and caused youth restiveness that are not easily curable." Okopi-Amen regretted that Delta State which is highly blessed in mineral and human resources ranks amongst the top three states in the cultivation, processing and trafficking of the deadly weed. Noting that the weed is responsible for the drastic fall in food production in Delta State, the NDLEA Commander said, "the people dissipate their energy on the cultivation of this terrible plant that could have been redirected to growing economic crops through which the nation's dependence on oil, as foreign exchange would be changed. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom