The Outgoing NDLEA Commander in the state, Mr Nse Inam who also is an Assistant Commander-General of Narcotics stated this while speaking with DAILY POST in Owerri.
Inam said despite the COVID-19 lockdown and high rate of insecurity in the state, the Command was able to arrest 191 drugs suspects and seize a total of 966. 693kgs of hard drugs in the year 2020.
He added that the Command defied the activities of unknown gunmen in the state to carry out public enlightenment in schools, churches, communities, motor parks and during Women August meetings.
He thanked men and officers of the Command for their hard work and commended Imo residents for their support.
He said NDLEA has been very active in Imo and we have been hard on those who are involved in illicit drug activities, not even administrative bail is being granted even to a suspect arrested with a minute quantity of hard drugs.
According to him,” Those in patent medicine shops are also not spared as some have been apprehended and are facing prosecution in court. ”
He said NDLEA is working in close collaboration with the State Government and other stakeholders to tackle the issue of drug abuse, including cases of abuse of methamphetamine popularly known as ‘mkpuru-mmiri’ in the state “, he said.
Inam thanked the state House of Assembly for its interventions and urged members to further rise to the challenge of drug abuse by providing the platforms for regular and consistent public enlightenment activities in their constituencies.
He noted that the agency would not usurp the responsibility of handing severe punishment to drugs offenders as against expectations from some quarters adding that it was the constitutional duty of Courts of law to do so.
