Edo In Sh*ck: NDLEA Destroys Hidden Cannabis Empire, Arrests DozensThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, has intensified its war on drugs with the arrest of 39 suspected traffickers and the destruction of two large cannabis farms across the state.
In a statement released during his first monthly operational briefing in Benin City, the new State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyefu, disclosed that the operations in May 2025 led to the seizure of over 1,303.88 kilograms of illicit drugs.
Ofoyefu revealed that the arrests comprised 18 males and 21 females, caught during a series of coordinated raids across Edo. The agency also uncovered and destroyed two cannabis farms in the Uzebba and Ohosu forests, located in Owan West and Ovia South West Local Government Areas, respectively. The farms, spanning 0.782961 hectares in total, were cleared as part of the anti-narcotics crackdown.
He detailed the breakdown of the seized substances as follows:
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Cannabis Sativa: 1,133.337 kg
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Psychotropic substances: 118.4986 kg
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Methamphetamines: 0.14103 kg
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Cocaine: 0.0024 kg
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Codeine cough syrup: 65.7 liters
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Pentazocine: 2,000 milliliters
The commander emphasized that the agency is working under the clear mandate of NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd.), to dismantle drug cultivation networks and combat substance abuse at its roots.
“We are not just going after traffickers; we’re also scaling up the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) by engaging adolescents and young adults in schools, churches, and mosques,” Ofoyefu said.
He added that the command is launching aggressive public education campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse and to encourage early intervention for those at risk.
