The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed more than 24,000 kilogrammes of skunk farms in Edo and Osun States, marking another major stride in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to curb the cultivation of illegal crops within forested agricultural zones.
In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, revealed that 223.5 kilogrammes of processed cannabis and seeds were recovered from four farms in Edo State alone.
The raids, he said, form part of the agency’s renewed commitment to tackling drug production at its source while discouraging rural farmers from engaging in illicit crop cultivation.
Mr Babafemi explained that 10,897.35 kilogrammes of skunk were destroyed on four farms covering over 4.3 hectares at Ugbodo forest in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State on Friday, October 3.
Two suspects, Michael Ayang, 40, and Bernard New Year, 47 (also known as Don), were apprehended during the operation.
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, October 1, NDLEA operatives intercepted a Toyota Sienna loaded with 22 bags of skunk weighing 244.5 kilogrammes at Igbanke, Orhionmwon LGA. The suspect, Ineh Excellent Obindi, 28, was taken into custody.
In a separate operation, NDLEA officers raided the Owena/Ijesha forest reserve in Osun State on Thursday, October 2, where they destroyed 14,000 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated on a 5.6-hectare cannabis plantation.
Three suspects, Chuimieze Shedrack, 28; Sunday John, 25; and Solomon Okopko, 27, were arrested, and 142 kilograms of the psychoactive substance were recovered.
Along the Okene–Lokoja highway, operatives intercepted a parcel from Lagos to Abuja containing 3.272 kilogrammes of “loud” and a sachet of “colorado”, leading to the arrest of Tobi Odubote, 34, during a follow-up operation at Gwagwalada Park in Abuja.
Another suspect, Ismail Abdurrahim, 32, was arrested with 25.5 kilogrammes of skunk on the Abaji–Abuja expressway on the same day.
In addition to enforcement, NDLEA’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities continued nationwide.
The campaign featured lectures in Government Day Secondary Schools in Adamawa, Katsina, and Niger States, as well as community engagements with traders at Ladega Market, Ikorodu, Lagos.
The Imo State Command also paid an advocacy visit to Mrs Chioma Uzodinma, the Governor’s wife, at Government House, Owerri.
While NDLEA’s operations target illegal drug cultivation, they also highlight a critical agricultural challenge: the need for crop diversification and support for rural farmers to shift from illicit cannabis farming to sustainable, income-generating alternatives.
Experts have long urged the integration of agricultural extension programmes and rural livelihood support into anti-drug campaigns, ensuring that communities move from illegal cultivation to food-based, climate-smart farming systems.
Source: People Gazette
Credit Image: The Guardian
