Between January and July, the Gombe State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) detained no fewer than 214 people for drug-related offences.
During the time period under review, NDLEA agents also apprehended and seized methamphetamine, 257.5 kg of psychoactive substances, and 93.95 kg of cannabis sativa from the suspects.
At a programme hosted by the Association of Professional Counsellors, APROCON, in Nigeria on Monday, Mr. Bello Mumini, the agency’s State Deputy Commander on Narcotics, disclosed the information in relation to a paper he had given on the “Drug Abuse Situation in Gombe State.”
He explained that, “the 214 suspects included 200 males and 14 females.”
He added that of the 214 arrests, 30 convictions had been secured, while 137 of them had been charged to court.
The NDLEA official decried that drug and substance abuse in the State cut across gender, age and social status, lamenting that many women had been found abusing drugs.
According to him, it was discouraging that the NDLEA rehabilitation centre in the State was not being utilised properly despite the high rate of drug abuse in the State.
He stated that the centre has a 24-bed capacity but the highest they get is seven clients undergoing rehabilitation.
He appealed to the state government and other partners to support the centre by sponsoring clients towards their effective rehabilitation.
Dr Habiba Isah, the chairperson of APROCON on her part, lamented that drug abuse had become one menace that should worry all stakeholders given its negative effects on the youth.
