No fewer than 65 persons have been arrested by the National Drug Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ebonyi state Command for their alleged involvement in drug peddling and racketeering between January to April 2019.
Also, five suspects were arrested at the weekend and three bags of suspected 3.8 kg cannabis impounded when officials of the Agency raided a Community town hall located at Amaike Ezzangbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the State.
The State deputy Commander in-charge of Intelligence and Operations Mr Ibrahim Bashir, made the disclosure in Abakaliki the State capital when officials from the Agency sealed off a Community town Hall that served as warehouse for cannabis and other related drugs.
He disclosed that 15 of the suspects were prosecuted within the last three months.
He said that officials of the Agency raided the community hall in Amaike Ezzangbo and recovered three bags of cannabis and other exhibits while five suspects were arrested and interrogated .
Mr Bashir said that the key suspect named Mr Amadi Chukwuma, m, (35 years) was held in the custody of the Agency in addition to the exhibits.
According to him, the Agency has been gathering intelligence, it is in that direction we have been working on it .
“The town hall we raided is a community hall named “Amadi Palace-Amaike Ezzangbo”, the community allowed the hall to be used for drug activities,
“Two days ago, we raided the place, and in the process 3.8 kg of cannabis was recovered from one of the rooms inside the hall”
He opined, ”those that have no question to answer, after interrogation were released but the main suspect is here with us”
The Director said that the suspects would soon be charged to court for prosecution.
In an interview, one of the suspects named Mr Amadi Chukwuma m (35 years) who hails from Amaeke Ezamgbo Ohaukwu local Government Area of the State pleaded guilty to the charge.
The suspect said that he was arrested in his residence by officials of the Agency maintaining that he embarked on the business in July 2018.
“I was arrested in my house selling hard drugs, it is one of the drivers that brought the cannabis for me from Afikpo, I am not a trouble person ”
“We were four doing the business, we don’t have sponsors, people we buy drugs send it to us for sale in large numbers”
The suspects pleaded with the authorities of the Agency to show leniency to him and pardon him.
Items Exhibits recovered from the suspects included three bags of cannabis .
