The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested 166 suspected drug traffickers and seized more than 5.7 tonnes of illicit drugs in the first quarter of 2026 as part of intensified operations against drug trafficking and abuse across the state.
Operational statistics released by the command and signed by the State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, showed that the arrests and seizures were recorded between January and March through sustained intelligence-led operations targeting drug trafficking syndicates and illicit drug distribution networks.
According to the report, 46 suspects were arrested in January, with operatives recovering 2,375.5298 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs.
In February, the command arrested 56 suspects and seized an additional 900.8939 kilograms of narcotics.
March recorded the highest number of arrests, with 64 suspected drug traffickers taken into custody, while operatives intercepted 2,467.6781 kilograms of illicit drugs during the month.
The report also highlighted the command’s success in prosecuting drug-related offences.
In January, seven cases were filed before the Federal High Court, with all seven resulting in convictions, while 105 cases remained pending.
Three additional cases were instituted in February, leading to 14 convictions and reducing the number of pending cases to 96.
By March, prosecutors had filed 10 fresh cases, secured 15 convictions and reduced the number of pending cases to 86.
Beyond the quarterly figures, the command’s wider operational report revealed that a total of 13,714.9233 kilograms of cannabis sativa was confiscated during the reporting period.
Other drugs recovered included 0.00601 kilogram of cocaine, 0.029 kilogram of heroin, 1.50104 kilograms of methamphetamine, 183.0699 kilograms of psychotropic substances and 2,048 bottles of codeine-based syrup, equivalent to 204.8 litres.
In a major blow to illicit cannabis cultivation, NDLEA operatives uncovered and destroyed 45 cannabis plantations spanning 77.5122 hectares across Edo State.
The destroyed plantations were estimated to have produced about 193,491.1568 kilograms of cannabis, significantly disrupting the activities of illegal cultivators.
The report further disclosed that, during the wider reporting period, the command arrested a total of 462 suspects, comprising 309 males and 153 females, underscoring the agency’s sustained efforts to curb drug trafficking and abuse in the state.
