The Abia State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday accused communities in the state of shielding drug barons.

The state Commander, Mr. Bamidele Akingbade told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba that the attitude was hindering the agency’s efforts at arresting and prosecuting drug traffickers.

“One of the biggest problems we face with fighting drug barons in Abia state is that these criminals are condoned and shielded by the communities.

“They are allowed to live freely within the community and in most cases they have persons shielding them from security agencies arresting and prosecuting them.

“These barons pay huge sums to members of the communities to shield them by refusing to volunteer information to security agencies.

“For instance, a bag of cannabis in Aba now sells for between N50, 000 and N55, 000 because there is high demand for these drugs.”

The commander said that he had forwarded suggestions to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu on measures to rid the state of drug dealer.

The commander said part of the measures was the need to set up joint task force on hard drugs, to help rid the state of the menace.

He urged the governor to implement the proposal, assuring that it would eradicate illicit drug business in the state.

Akingbade said that eradication of hard drug business would help to sanitize the society

The commander also identified inadequate logistics among factors limiting the effective discharge of the agency's operations in the state.

“For us to do our work effectively we need enough manpower and more vehicles as we presently have just one in the command.” (NAN)