BY JENNIFER EZIMAKOR

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed 77,000kg of skunk weed in separate farms in Cross Rivers and Edo states.

It added that a total of 75,000 kilograms of skunk were destroyed by NDLEA operatives at Esuk-Odot village in Cross River State.

“1,957.5kg of the same psychoactive plant was destroyed at Ohosu forest, Ovia South West LGA, and Okhuse community forest, Owan West LGA, Edo on Friday, May 23, and Saturday, May 24.

“This brings the total to 77,000 kilograms of skunk,” it said in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

Meanwhile, two suspects, Sunday Daniel, 51, and Abu Peter, 30, were arrested at Keffi by NDLEA operatives on Saturday, May 24 in Nasarawa State.

Babafemi said that 4,000 kilograms of skunk were discovered concealed under unprocessed wood in their lorry.

Also, another suspect, Godwin Obi, 39, was nabbed at Karu with 154.5kg of the same substance on Wednesday, May 21.

In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna–Zaria expressway at Gwargwaje on Wednesday, May 21, intercepted 22-year-old Muhammad Hamza with 57,750 pills of tramadol and diazepam.

Babafemi said that their counterparts in Bauchi arrested Usman Muhammad, 45, along the Bauchi-Misau Road with 80 blocks of skunk weighing 45kg on the same day.

Similarly, operatives on stop-and-search operations along the Potiskum–Damaturu road in Yobe intercepted 55 parcels of Colorado drugs.

Babafemi said that the drugs, which weighed 2 kg, had a suspect, Adum Muhammed, 29, arrested with it.

“The suspect was nabbed attempting to smuggle it into the Republic of Chad through Ngamboru-Ngala border town in Borno State, “he said.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa commending the officers and men of the commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week.

Marwa praised all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.