PRESS RELEASE
HOW WE SETTLE FOREST GUARDS- SUSPECT
Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade has described cannabis cultivation as a threat to national security. Giade made this known as the NDLEA destroys 50 hectares of cannabis plantation at Epele Forest Reserve, Ondo State. He vowed to prosecute forest guards who turn a blind eye to criminal activities and anyone who connive with cannabis cultivators. The destruction event is a product of a special operation involving over seventy (70) NDLEA officers drawn from South West State Commands as well as fifty (50) labourers.
In his words, “the NDLEA will not hesitate to prosecute any forest guard who aids and abets cannabis cultivators. Cannabis constitutes a serious threat to security and the NDLEA is determined to eradicate narcotic drugs. Cannabis use can induce rape, unprotected sex, political violence, murder, militancy and many more. This is the second cannabis farm destruction within the past one month and this shall be a continuous exercise until cannabis cultivation is completely eradicated. The first one was 184 hectares while this one is 50 hectares. We are looking forward with optimism to a time when farmers will abandon cannabis for only food and cash crops”.
The NDLEA director of Operations and Investigation, Mr. Olugbenga Mabo led the operation which was attended by the Ondo State Commander, Mr. Walter Nicholas, Assistant Director, Operations, Mr. Fred Ezeora, Ondo State Assistant Commander Operations, Mr. Femi Agboalu and other principal officers.
Mabo said that cannabis farm destruction is a proactive strategy to cut off cannabis supply which affects the image of the country. “We achieve more when we destroy cannabis farms than waiting to intercept the drug after it had been harvested by the cultivators. When citizens get caught for trafficking in cannabis outside the country, the image of Nigeria is affected. Let me commend the officers that participated in this assignment because, they walked for over four hours and worked in the rain all night long. They crossed over many rivers and surmounted several obstacles to get the job done. Drug control is a hazardous job but we are working very hard to overcome our logistic challenges such as inadequate vehicles and funds” the director stated.
Typical of a cannabis farm operation, officers had to walk for several hours in a lonely forest path to locate the farms. The road is muddy and slippery. As a result, falling down and getting up again was a normal experience all through the journey. All the officers who left the Akure Command Office wearing a clean look later came back dirty and tired.
One of the suspects whose farm was among those destroyed, Charles Osanebi, told NDLEA investigators that he would have harvested a minimum of forty (40) bags of cannabis from his farm. According to him, “this is my first time of cultivating cannabis in this forest. I was introduced into cannabis cultivation because I needed money. My farm which was destroyed would have given me a minimum of 40 bags of cannabis. Nobody can go into the forest to cultivate cannabis without paying money. We usually settle the forest guards. However, I pray for forgiveness because I have learnt my lessons” Osanebi stated.
Ofoyeju Mitchell
Head, Public Affairs
