The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Abia State Command, has seized about 1.94 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs and arrested 222 suspects in one year.
Briefing journalists in Aba during the week-long events to commemorate the ‘2025 United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse’ coming up on 26th June, 2025, Acting Commander of NDLEA, Abia Command, Mr. Chigbu Odoemelam Chilee, stated that despite the seizures and arrests, the command has intensified measures to check the use and sale of illicit drugs.
Chilee also disclosed that Aba is the only rehabilitation centre the agency has in Abia. He however ,added that Governor Alex Otti has given a vehicle to the agency and made provision for another centre in Umuahia, which may be ready in a few months.
He said that the problem of illicit drugs in Abia cannot be overemphasized, stressing that the number of arrests, seizures, and people coming for rehabilitation, shows that Abia state faces a huge challenge in drug abuse and trafficking.
He said; “For the past one year, we have seized one million and ninety four kilograms of illicit drugs.
These drugs include cannabis, sativa, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, diazepam, codeine, etc. The most prevalent here is methamphetamine which is known as mkpurummiri, in our local parlance.
“We also arrested two hundred and twenty-two suspects in one year here. We fight anti drug war in two phases, one is supply reduction, and the other is demand reduction. In supply reduction, I have given you the statistics on seizure.
“However, in demand reduction, we are talking about sensitization and rehabilitation. In rehabilitation, Abia Command of the NDLEA has one of the best facilities considering the number of clients and the records available.”
The Acting Commander further stated that Aba and Umuahia, are the major flashpoints of illicit drug business in Abia state.
He assured that NDLEA Abia has area commands that equally cover the rural areas and the 17 council areas of the state, as the agency is leaving no stone unturned in combating the use and sale of illicit drugs in the state.
Chilee also disclosed that there are more males than females in the drug rehabilitation centre, stressing that the statistics do not mean that women are not involved in drug abuse.
“There may be some issues that may have made it difficult for them to approach rehabilitation, which may be cultural, stigmatization or even religious and otherwise.
He added that the United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is marked globally and a week long programme that started since 19th of June, which began with sensitization in some notable places, has been ongoing.
“Lots of events were marked to commemorate this programme, which started with a walk against Drug Trafficking at the state capital, Umuahia.
The second day, we had a sensitization programme at the mosque where the Imam preached the same message. We did the same thing at the church, Christ Embassy Aba, on the third day.
“We had a novelty match yesterday between our officers and some clients in our rehabilitation centre. And today, it’s about the press.”
Stressing that NDLEA cannot fight the drug war alone, the Commander urged society to collaborate with the agency to reduce the level of use of illicit drugs.
“After the programme, there will be lots of work by the State Drug Committee that was recently inaugurated in Umuahia to ensure that there is a serious reduction in using illicit drugs in Abia.
“We urge Abia people to trust us and our leadership from the national headquarters, where the leadership is showing Nigeria a huge change in this fight.
“Here, we urge them to expect a reinvigorated operation strategies that will help make this place uncomfortable for illicit drug dealers.”
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Ikechukwu Akunne, said the 2025 United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with the theme: “The Evidence is Clear, Invest In Prevention”, will take place at the Police Officers Mess.
