NDLEA Arrests School Children, Hotel Manager Over Drug Abuse

Operatives of the Kaduna State command of
the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA) on Tuesday said that it has arrested
11 secondary school children and manager of
a hotel in the state capital over alleged drug
abuse and trafficking.

The State Commander of the agency,
Mohammed Jibrin, disclosed this to newsmen
during an event marking the International Day
against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The theme for the celebration was, “A Message
of Hope: Drug Use Disorders Are Preventable
and Treatable.”
Jibrin said that the children; seven girls and four
boys, were arrested in a hotel room taking
psychotropic substance.

He revealed that eight of the arrested children
were still in junior classes, adding that their
parents had been invited to the command for
questioning and counselling, while the hotel
manager was still under investigation.

The commander disclosed that between January
and May 2014, the agency arrested 210 drug
suspects, including five women, with various
illicit drugs weighing over 1074.02kg.
He said that 80 of them, including a 78 year old
man from Zaria, have been convicted and were
serving various prison terms.

Jibrin said that the command had also
discovered and sealed an illegal laboratory in
Zaria, manufacturing fake drugs.
According to him, the laboratory produces drugs
from ordinary powder, expired chemicals and
substances that are detrimental to human
health.

He also disclosed that a total of 37 addicts have
been counselled, rehabilitated and reintegrated
back into the society at the agency’s
rehabilitation facility in Zaria.

Jibrin stressed the need for communities,
parents and other stakeholder to support the
fight against drug abuse and trafficking to
reduce the menace in the state.