Pubdate: Wed, 29 Dec 2004
Source: This Day (Nigeria)
Copyright: 2004 This Day.
Contact:  http://www.thisdayonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2870
Author: Amby Uneze
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

NDLEA ARRESTS 275 FOR DRUG OFFENCES IN 2 YEARS

Calabar

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested 275 drug 
offenders with 668.077 kilogrammes of narcotic substances between January 
2003, and December 2004, in Cross River State.

The State Commander of the agency, Mr. Tony-Ray Ene, Who made this known in 
Calabar recently, said cannabis-related arrests and seizures topped the 
list with 260 suspects, who trafficked in 667.840 kilogrammes of hard drugs 
representing 94.54 percent.

Five suspects trafficked in 0.050 kilogrammes of cocaine and 0.036kg of 
heroine, representing 1.81 percent while four persons were caught with 
unclassified substances with 0.065kg or 1.45 percent and morphine for which 
one person was arrested involved 0.080kg or 0.36 percent.

In a paper presented at the one-day workshop organised by the National 
Association of Proprietory and Patent Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) entitled: 
"Hard Drugs Consu-mption and Criminal Behaviour: Issues of Drug Control in 
Cross Rivers State," Ene observed that the increase in the consumption of 
cannabis in the state was not unconnected to the fact that the drug was 
only one cultivated in Nigeria, including cross River State.

The distribution of arrests, according to him, showed that drug activities 
were not restricted to one particular location or zone. In Calabar Zone, 
for example, the state command apprehended 144 persons or 52.36 percent, 84 
of them or 30.54 percent were arrested in Ogoja Zone and 47 suspects were 
nabbed in Ikom Zone, representing 17.09 percent.

In addition,he said indigenes of the state dominated the drug trade with 
165 of them arrested or 60 percent, followed by the indigenes of Akwa Ibom 
State with 82 or 29.8 percent. Benue has six suspects or 2.18 percent, 
Rivers State four suspects or 1.45 percent, Ogun three or 1.09 percent.

Ene said on rehabilitation and counselling activities that the distribution 
showed that a total of 248 persons were counselled and rehabilitated. Of 
the number, while 220 were males or 88.70 percent, 28 were females, 
representing 11.29 percent of the cases.

On prosecution, he rsaid out of 27 drug suspects prosecuted, 20 of them 
were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment,representing 74.07 percent 
while seven were discharged and acquitted or 25.92 percent.

The state commander maintained that the menace of hard drug consumption and 
criminal behaviours pose serious threat to mankind and the society at 
large, urging governments and individuals to continue to make concerted 
efforts to check-mate the social cankerworm in the society.

He called on NAPPMED to join forces with the command in putting appropriate 
machinery in motion to control abuse of hard drugs and criminal acts, which 
according to it, has become a problem in the society.

"With the increase in the drug addiction and its twin effect, criminal 
behaviour, which has caused serious economic and social damage, the tasks 
and challenges of NAPPMED, therefore, become enormous. As a major 
stakeholder in the society, which promotes health and provides essential 
services to the citizens, the professional progress should discharge its 
statutory duties in compliance with the laws of the society," Ene said.

In his remarks, the National Vice Chairman of NAPPMED, Mr. Felix Joe-Ebong, 
said NAP-PMED desires and deserves encouragement from the government to 
exercise her professionalism and continue to contribute her quota towards 
the health care programmes of the people.
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