Pubdate: Mon, 17 Jan 2005
Source: This Day (Nigeria)
Copyright: 2005 This Day.
Contact:  http://www.thisdayonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2870
Author: Eugene Agha

NDLEA PARADES 8 SUSPECTED DRUG DEALERS

Lagos

No fewer than eight suspected drug dealers, including a female
secondary school teacher, were paraded yesterday by the Lagos State
Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Abiodun
Adesola.

Addressing reporters, Adesola said some of the suspected were arrested
from various Indian Hemp smoking joints in the state, while others
were arrested while attempting to smuggle the substance into the state
with most of them through information received from members of the
public.

"All the suspects along with their exhibits will soon be charged to
court," Adesola said.

He expressed fear of an alleged increase in the population of those
who engage in the sale of illicit drugs in the state.

According to him, going by available records for the year 2004, 186
persons were arrested during various operations carried out throughout
the state.

"This when compared to the figure of the preceding year, during which
a total of 123 suspects were arrested, it shows an increase of 63 in
2004," he said.

He said as a matter of fact, 4935.6 kilogrammes of illicit drugs were
confiscated from arrested drug dealers in 2004, against the 1,860
kilogrammes of same illicit drugs that were seized in 2003.

Adesola said during the operations, those who were found to be drug
users only were rehabilitated and later allowed to join members of
their families after they have been counselled.

This, he added, was in line with the understanding that these
categories of persons that abuse drug have what may be referred to as
health problem.

"Instead of being treated as drug criminals, NDLEA chairman, Alhaji
Belo Lafiaji, mandated us to tow the line of the United Nations which
requires that this category of persons be helped," he said.

He encouraged parents to pay adequate concern to the well-being of
their wards, adding that some of the users are products of broken homes.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin