NDLEA arrests 281 drug suspects, destroys 51 hectares of cannabis in Ekiti
By Boye Oyeyemi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has destroyed more than 51 hectares of cannabis plantations, arrested 281 suspected drug traffickers and users, and secured the conviction of 50 offenders in Ekiti State over the past year.
Ekiti State NDLEA Commander Rufus Aina disclosed this on Friday in Ado Ekiti during activities marking the 2026 World Drug Day, describing widespread cannabis cultivation as a major threat to public safety and development.
Aina said the command destroyed cannabis sativa plantations weighing more than 127 tonnes, while several other drug-related cases are still pending before the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti.
He added that the agency recovered 6,337.517 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs and intensified operations against criminal networks involved in drug trafficking across the state.
The commander warned that drug abuse remains a serious public health and security challenge, worsened by the rise of synthetic drugs, prescription drug abuse and the use of digital platforms by traffickers.
Aina said the command conducted 76 anti-drug advocacy rallies, 15 radio and television sensitisation campaigns, and provided counselling and rehabilitation services to 87 drug users during the review period.
He also commended Gov. Biodun Oyebanji and his wife, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, for supporting anti-drug campaigns, and disclosed that the agency secured a 20-year prison sentence for convicted drug trafficker Osho Akindele while arresting two elderly suspects, aged 78 and 80, for alleged drug offences.
Aina urged residents to support the agency with credible intelligence, stressing that sustained collaboration among government agencies, community leaders and the public is essential to curbing drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Ekiti State.
