No fewer than 386 suspects made up of 369 males and 17 females has been arrested for drug trafficking in Plateau State.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Plateau State Command released this figure in Jos on Wednesday, saying the suspects were arrested with a total of 3,217.472kg of drugs in 2016.
Speaking during a one-day workshop with the theme: “War Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking,” organized by the Agency in collaboration with the Plateau State Government, the State NDLEA boss, Dr. Ngozi Madubuike, said success was recorded through collaboration with other security agencies in the State.
Madubuike said the workshop is to sensitize school children, adults, patent medicine dealers and stakeholders on the dangers of hard drugs and the menace they cause in the society.
She said: “Evidence has shown that adolescents and young adults between the ages of 10 years and 35 years constitute the high risk group for drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
“The most common drugs abuses in Plateau State are cannabis sativa, popularly known as Igbo, wee wee; psychotropic substances like Tramadol, Exol 5, Rohypnol, Diazepam, cough syrup with codeine and locally brewed alcoholic beverages like goskolo, burukutu, pito, etc.
“Also in the period under review, 96 male suspects were convicted at the Federal High Court, Jos, the Command rehabilitated and re-integrated 42 male drug dependent persons within the age range of 19 to 64 years.
“There is urgent need to nip the problem of drug abuse and trafficking in the bud because drug abuse is associated with all sorts of societal vices and drugs destroy the major organs of the body.”
The State Governor, Simon Lalong, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Rufina Gurumyen, challenged parents, community and religious leaders as well as educational institutions to ensure good parenting and sound moral upbringing while on the lookout for children to ensure they stay away from illicit drugs.
According to the Governor: “This workshop is very crucial because it seeks to address a societal menace, which has contributed in reducing the State’s vibrant and productive age group.
“The growing rate of societal vices have called for the societal concern, for government and the need to support initiatives that help in addressing the challenges faced.”
