War against drugs: Is NDLEA winning?

Recent discoveries by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised questions whether the agency was overwhelmed and in the position to win the long drawn battle against drug lords and their foot soldiers, KEHINDE OSASONA writes.

A report by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has indicated that over 10.6 million Nigerians were currently abusing cannabis sativa, which is the most common type of cannabis plant used as marijuana.

Consequently, the agency had warned landlords and property owners to ensure they don’t accommodate drug traffickers in their houses. This is as the agency stated it would not hesitate to seek forfeiture of any property used to store illicit drugs when the offenders are caught.

With over 8, 634 arrests; 2,776,000 kilograms of drugs worth over N100 billion seized; 1,630 convictions; 3,232 cases in court and over 4,000 drug users counselled and rehabilitated, it is believed that NDLEA was already making substantial progress in drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

During one of a major operation that lasted seven days in February 2022, operatives of the NDLEA destroyed a total of 255 hectares of cannabis farms spread across five local government areas of Ondo state.

While the operation lasted, 13 suspects were arrested and 250 kilograms of cannabis seeds and 63.85kg cannabis weeds were recovered in Omolowo/Powerline forest; Ipele forest; Ala forest; Ogbese forest; Utte and Okuluse forest that spread across five local council areas of the state.

During the exercise codenamed Operation Abub’, which began at Ogbese forest, a suspect, Olatunde Olaoluwa’s with a cannabis farm measuring 10 hectares, got his farms destroyed and burnt along with other cannabis farms in the area.

Following the operation, 54 hectares of cannabis farm was also destroyed at Utte and Okuluse forest, Ose Local Government Area of the state, where 95kg of cannabis seeds, 2.5kg of processed cannabis sativa and a pumping machine with long hose were recovered in the farm.

Due to the magnitude of successes recorded so far, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) had while commenting on the development, hailed the officers and men of the Strike Force corps of the agency for their sacrifices and commitment, charging them to look out for more of such farms in any part of the country.

Subsisting market

However, in spite of that, a survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Nigeria (UNODC) alongside other partners had revealed that there were about 8,900 hectares of cannabis cultivation in six southern states alone.

The survey done in partnership with the NDLEA also revealed that Edo, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo have about 133,500 plots of cannabis.

The outcome further indicated that the border area between Edo and Ondo states had the highest density of cultivation.

Similarly, a statement by UNODC Communications Associate, Ms Olivia Ogechi Okorondu, said that in 2018 Drug Use Survey showed that cannabis was the most commonly used drug in Nigeria.

“More than 10.6 million adults use it in Nigeria. Over half of those admitted for treatment of illegal drug use were admitted for cannabis use,” the statement read.

While giving the highlights of the survey, Okorondu said, “Being the first systematic exercise of its kind, the survey provides a baseline assessment of the extent of cannabis cultivation in Nigeria, with focuses on six south-western states of Nigeria that have been assessed as being at highest risk for cannabis cultivation.

“The methodology includes a remote sensing survey covering an area of 4,500 km in the six identified states, capturing 17,185 photos and collecting data from aerial overflights in 2019 and structured interviews with NDLEA experts working in the same six states in 2021.

“The key findings of the survey are: an estimated cultivation of 8,900 hectares of cannabis in six states with highest density in the border area between Edo and Ondo states; the location of cannabis fields deep inside dense forests, establishing linkages between cannabis cultivation and deforestation.”

The survey also showed that cannabis farmers work together, and that they supply the drug to the domestic market and export to other countries.

Challenges

Amidst the clampdown on drug cartels and the war being waged by the NDLEA and other agencies, some countries like Philippines have, however, legalised the substances in the past.

Some of the reasons adduced are that rather than destroying and tagging Cannabis, countries of the world including Nigeria tap into the estimated $145bn medical marijuana market.

Governor of Ondo state, Rotimi Akeredolu, recently supported the idea while reeling out some of its benefits recently.

According to the governor, when the oil of cannabis is extracted, it could be used to cure many chronic illnesses stressing that the country stands to gain a lot from the potential of the plant.

Akeredolu who made the observation after his trip to Thailand added, “Since Ondo is the hotbed of cannabis cultivation,” the state would be short-changing itself if it doesn’t tap into the “legal marijuana market” whose estimated value has been projected to be $145bn by 2025.

The governor therefore encouraged the federal government and its agencies to halt further destruction stating that the medicinal industry was capable of creating thousands of jobs for youths and spur the economic diversification of the country.

“Our focus now is medical marijuana cultivation in controlled plantations under the full supervision of the NDLEA. I strongly implore the FG to take this seriously, as it is a thriving industry that will create 1000’s of jobs for our youths and spur economic diversification.

“I was in Thailand in company of the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Col. Muhammad Mustapha (Retd.) for a programme tagged, ‘Medicinal Cannabis Extract Development.’

“I was in the Asian country to assess the materials and best practices of medicinal cannabis planting and growing, with the possibility of replicating the technology in Nigeria.

“We went there to study how cannabis can be more advantageous to (Ondo) state and Nigeria at large, just the way the Thai Government has done.

“Cannabis is used for medical purposes; how can it be cultivated for specific purposes and not be abused.

“The programme is centred on exploiting the possibility of medicinal cannabis extract development and it is aimed at building capacity and researching the modality of licensing for planting and extracting cannabis oil.

“We know how to grow it and it thrives well in the Sunshine State. How to grow cannabis is never a problem in Ondo state,” he declared.

Conversely, taking a different stance, another Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state, declared his opposition to any attempt to legalise cannabis sativa in the country, just as he cautioned against abuse and proliferation of the substances in Kano state.

Ganduje, who was hosting the Chairman and Chief Executive, NDLEA, Brig-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.) and other top officials of the agency, insisted that the ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) was collective.

To further demonstrate his opposition to the idea of legalising cannabis, the Ganduje vowed that no lawmaker from the state would support such a bid at the National Assembly.

In his remarks, the NDLEA boss explained that the NDLEA was doing so much to cut availability and accessibility to illicit drugs across the country, adding that any attempt to legalise the illicit substance would be a setback to the progress made so far.

He said, “We are however convinced that the ongoing attempts by some of our elected officials to legalize cannabis will be a drawback for the achievements so far.

“This is why I want to implore Your Excellency and Kano state not to support the attempt to legalize cannabis.”

Expert’s react

Speaking to Blueprint Weekend, a sociologist and Counsellor, Kanbi Awe, wondered why a country that was waging endless war against drugs abuse would dabble into processing such substances, stating the country should get ready for more abuses especially by the youths.

He said, “You and I know that we are close though but not yet there technologically. Why on earth would we compare ourselves to Thailand, India and even China that has advanced technologically, so much that they can process some of these substances so much that rather than being abused, it would help alleviate medical conditions, but here, am sorry,”

When asked whether or not Gov Akeredolu proposal should be discarded, he stated: “Look, am neither here nor there as you can see from my disposition. If you look at it from the scientific point of views, you would find out that Akeredolu was very correct but in term of readiness, comparing us with these technological advanced countries is not it.

“See, am aware that they garnish some percentage of these substances when manufacturing drugs in order to increase its potency and all that but our society would be at the receiving ends should Cannabis or any related substances is legalised because the orientation is not yet there yet and already vast population of our youths are still being rehabilitated from the scourge the drugs abuse has thrown them.”