2019 Nigeria Decides - Ahead of today’s presidential and National Assembly polls, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency conducted a general raid in Lagos State, recovering 407.205 kilogrammes of Indian hemp and arresting some dealers during the exercise.

The Assistant Commander, Operations and Intelligence Unit, Lagos Command of the NDLEA, Mr Ojo Ogbechema, said, “By this, we are creating a drug-free and violence-free environment for the smooth conduct of the general elections.

“Due to the importance of the elections to the sustenance of our democracy, and survival of our great nation, all hands must be on deck to ensure that they are peaceful and credible.

“For us at the NDLEA, especially the Lagos Command, we shall do all that is required to ensure the success of this election,” Ogbechema said in a statement on Friday.

He disclosed that the agency “busted” two warehouses at Alaba Rago and Akerele, recovering 108.9kg and 270.2kg of marijuana, respectively from the locations.

According to Ogbechema, the raid of the warehouses followed intelligence information that large quantities of Cannabis Sativa, also known as Indian hemp or marijuana, were kept there.

Apart from the two locations, he said some other areas in the metropolis notorious for drug peddling were also raided by operatives of the anti-narcotic agency.

He named such places as Idimu-Araba, Ijora, Mile II, Ajegunle, Amuwo-Odofin, Ipodo, Abule-Egba, Ajah, Ajao Estate, Shita in Surulere.

Ogbechema said the NDLEA had between January 1 and the time statement was released, arrested no fewer than nine drug dealers and 25 drug users in Lagos State.

According to him, while the drug users had been counselled and reunited with their families, the drug dealers had been charged to court and were facing trial.