Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Edo State Command, have destroyed two cannabis farms in Ago Forest, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.

The state commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, in a statement on Monday, said the cannabis plantations had a yield of 1,388.42kg, adding that four suspected drug traffickers were also arrested in the past one week.

He said, “In a sustained offensive against drug trafficking and abuse, the state command has destroyed two cannabis plantations with a yield of 1,388.42kg and arrested four suspected drug traffickers in the past one week.”

According to Ofoyeju, no arrests were made at the farm as the cultivators were not present during the raid.

In a separate operation, three female and one male suspected drug traffickers were apprehended during raids at the back of the Oredo Local Government Secretariat in Benin City, the Oloku area of the metropolis, and Uduwuga in Uhumwonde Local Government Area.

Ofoyeju gave the names of the suspects as Eniye Osague, a 25-year-old female; Osaretin Erabor, a 43-year-old female; Vivian Chukwuma, a 38-year-old female; and Osigwe Omogie, a 44-year-old male.

He added, “Osague was arrested behind the Oredo LGA Secretariat, Benin City, on 15th May 2026. Exhibits found on her include 272 grammes of Scottish loud. Osaretin Erabor, a 43-year-old female, was also apprehended behind the Oredo LGA Secretariat on the same day with 914 grammes of cannabis sativa.

“Vivian Chukwuma, a 38-year-old female who was arrested at the Hausa Quarters, Oluku, Benin City, was found with 315 grammes of cannabis loud, 22 grammes of Colorado, 38 grammes of methamphetamine, and 30 grammes of tramadol 100mg. The fourth suspect, Osigwe Omogie, was caught with 113 grammes of cannabis sativa, eight grammes of loud, and five grammes of tramadol.”

In addition to enforcement, Ofoyeju said the NDLEA Edo State Command, in collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), conducted a three-day school-based prevention and sensitisation programme in Benin City from 13 to 15 May 2026.

He said the programme, themed “Anti-Cultism/Drug Abuse in Secondary Schools”, focused on “Drug Abuse as a Catalyst to Secret Cultism and Related Anti-Social Vices”.

The participating schools included Edo College, Western Boys High School, and Uselu Grammar School, all in Benin City, with a total student population of 1,505 males and 250 females. Facilitators were drawn from the NDLEA, the Nigeria Police Force, and Everlink Network. (The PUNCH)

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