Kogi State Command of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has begun the destruction of the largest farm of cannabis Sativa worth about N1.5 billion in Igalamela/Odolu Council of the state.
The Commander, Alfred Adewumi, who disclosed this to journalists during the destruction of the farms at Kara Forest in Agbokete Community, Akpanya, yesterday, noted that Kogi was gradually being turned into one of the largest producers of Indian hemp.
Adewunmi expressed worry over the Kogi’s transformation from a transit point to a cultivating the state of the illicit drug, stressing that he could not believe what he saw on the farm.
“I am astounded that something as enormous as this can be discovered in the state. Our assumption is that Kogi, though surrounded by some states that are notorious for cannabis Sativa cultivation, is just a transit state because of its strategic location.
“However, to discover that within Kogi, we can have a plantation of this huge proportion is something that has shocked me to the marrow,” he added.
The NDLEA boss told journalists that the startling discovery was a result of intelligence gathering by the operatives of the command who had placed the suspect under surveillance and subsequently arrested him.
“I must tell you that what we have here is far in excess of the 10 hectares of cannabis Sativa farmland discovered earlier on, in excess of the 7.5 hectares we discovered sometimes mid-September. If you put these farms together, you will see that we will be talking of over 35 hectares of cannabis Sativa plantation.
“To begin to talk about the market value, to be frank with you, we are talking about more than N1.5 billion of cultivated illicit drugs here,” he disclosed.
Adewunmi commended the state government for supporting NDLEA, adding that without the support, the command would not have been able to achieve much.
He stated that the suspect, Ameh Joseph, would soon be charged to court.
The remorseful suspect said he would never go back to the business, warning youths not to involve in any illegal business.
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