The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested no fewer than 353 suspects for various drug-related offences in Taraba State between June 2024 and June 2025.
The State Commander of the Agency, Mr. Ali Umar, made this known during a press briefing held in Jalingo as part of activities marking the 2025 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Umar disclosed that the command also confiscated approximately 3,125,875 kilograms of various hard drugs, including cannabis sativa and psychotropic substances. He further revealed that cannabis farms were identified and destroyed in eight local government areas of the state.
He said the agency had secured 53 convictions at the Federal High Court in Jalingo during the period under review, with several other cases still ongoing.
“In the period under review, the command successfully arrested 353 suspects, including 18 females, and secured 53 convictions with varying jail terms,” Umar stated.
The commander highlighted challenges confronting the agency, including lack of public cooperation in providing actionable intelligence, inadequate accommodation, limited operational logistics, and the absence of a treatment and rehabilitation centre.
Despite these obstacles, Umar noted that the NDLEA maintains strong collaboration with other security agencies in the state, especially in areas of intelligence sharing, suspect transfer, and handling of exhibits.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to intensifying the war against drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the state.
