The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Cross River State has destroyed a 30-hectare cannabis sativa farm hidden in a forest in Odukpani Local Government Area, NAAN reports.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Saturday, the state NDLEA commander, Mrs. Rachel Umebuali, confirmed that several suspects were arrested in connection with the illicit farm. She also expressed concern that some local residents were shielding the drug cultivators from law enforcement.
“We recovered 163.9 kilograms of cannabis seeds from the site,” Umebuali said.
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Between January and June 2025, the command seized a total of 6,716.8 kg of various illicit drugs. The breakdown includes; 2,935 kg of cannabis sativa, 129.6 kg of methamphetamine, 82.7 kg of psychotropic substances, 33.3 liters of cannabis mixture, 47.7 kg of cocaine, 32.3 kg of heroin, 69.7 kg of opioids and barbiturates, and 5 grams of ecstasy.
During the same period, 191 suspects were arrested, with 15 convicted for various drug-related offenses.
Umebuali revealed that many of the drug traffickers arrested were not natives of Cross River but were allegedly being protected by locals in exchange for money.
She praised the efforts of the state’s First Lady, Mrs. Eyoanwan Otu, for supporting this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, themed “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention.”
The NDLEA also carried out 191 sensitization campaigns across schools, churches, mosques, markets, and NGOs to raise awareness about drug abuse. However, Umebuali stressed that the command still struggles with poor funding and inadequate logistics, which hamper operations.
