The Edo Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Friday set fire to eight hectares of cannabis sativa farms in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the farms are located in Upokhoten forest, Uzzebba village in Owan West Local Government Area of the state.
Operatives of the command were taken on a three-hour journey to the farms where the plantations were cut and burned.
After the operation, Mr Ondotimi Bebetu, the command’s Assistant Commander in charge of Operations, told newsmen that the burning was based on an intelligence-led surveillance, which led to the arrest of three suspects two weeks ago.
Bebetu, who is also the spokesperson for the command, said the two farms were equivalent to more than 17 tons of cannabis sativa and worth million of naira.
He said, “This burning is happening as a follow up to the activities where some suspects were arrested two weeks ago.
“There are two farms that have been burned here today. The first farm measured 6.28 hectares of space. When you convert to tons, it equals to 15.69 tons.
“The second farm in the same area measured 0.68 hectares, which is equal to 1.7 tons. When you add up the two, you get 17.4 tons of cannabis burned right now.
“Sadly, this land could have been used for growing food crops.
“We are using this opportunity to ask the public to give information on how and where to find these farmlands.
“It is them, their youths and their families that are exposed to the health risk of the cannabis production which they use every day.”
The NDLEA boss said that the arrested suspects would be handed over to the legal unit after a thorough investigation into the matter is done.
He said, “The real owners are big time barons. We hardly can catch them. They bring these boys to the farm to start the farms.
“Sometimes, they are abroad, but they just keep monitoring. Even if they mention their names, they are fake. Sometimes, we get them through our surveillance intelligence and bring them to justice.”
Mr. James Olarewaju, Assistant Commander of Narcotics, Intelligence, also spoke at the operation. He said reliable intelligence led to the action taken at the farm.
Olarewaju said he was disappointed that Edo is a hotspot for cannabis plantations and it had become a year-round farming in the area.
He said the command was resolved to stop the supply chain of the substance by destroying the farms instead of wasting time looking for those selling.
One of the suspects arrested on the farm, Monday Nduul, from Benue, said he was a “job man” brought to the farm to help in weeding.
He said he did not know that he was coming to a cannabis farm.
