NDLEA apprehends 31 in Anambra

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra says it has arrested 31 male suspects for various drug-related offences.
The state Commander of the agency, Mr Sule Momodu, disclosed this to newsmen in Awka .
He said the agency seized drugs weighing 42.864 kgs of which 39.703 kgs cannabis sativa popularly called “igbo” were seized during the period under review.
He said that 27.4 grammes of cocaine, 8.6 grammes of heroin, 2.615 kgs of liquid methamphetamine and 510 grammes of solid methamphetamine were also seized during the period.
He also said that three suspects were convicted in May.
Mommoh said that the agency was committed to ridding the state of illicit drugs and warned all criminals and drug addicts that they would be dealt with decisively.
The commander called for timely information from members of the public to enable the agency to respond to critical situations in the state.
He also commended Gov. Willie Obiano for his proactive performance on security, while urging the people to support the governor’s zero tolerance stance to drug abuse and crimes in the state.
“We have a mandate to reduce the drugs available on the streets of Anambra State to the barest minimum and to make Anambra safe for local and foreign investors.
“We will work very hard to achieve the mandate,” Mommoh said.o, Mr Ethelbert Nnanna, has called for the de-centralisation of the operations of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Nnanna, who made the call in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Owerri, said that decentralisation of the commission would enhance its operations.
He said that the NDDC had experienced low performance in its mandate to develop the Niger Delta because of centralisation of its operations resulting in abandonment of projects for years.
According to the former council boss, unless the commission’s operations are decentralised, it will continue to have abandoned projects.
“We have been hearing so much about NDDC initiatives; most of them are in papers and not actually felt by the targeted groups because of bureaucratic bottlenecks.
“Youth restiveness in the Niger Delta is caused by lack of infrastructure and empowerment.
“This should not happen when we have NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and state oil producing development commissions,’’ he said.
He said there was the need to review the existing laws of the commission so that it could positively impact on the people and reduce youth restiveness.
Nnanna said that technocrats and NGOs should be involved more than politicians in the operations of the commission.
“If this approach is not adopted, politicians will continue to frustrate the good intention of government in developing and empowering the people of Niger Delta region through the commission.