Cannabis Farms in Edo: NDLEA Raises Alarm, Destroys Five Plantations
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised concern over the growing spread of illicit cannabis cultivation across forests in Edo State after operatives uncovered and destroyed five plantations in a fresh crackdown on drug production and trafficking.
The plantations, located in forests across three local government areas, covered a combined 2.269668 hectares and had an estimated cannabis yield of 5,674.17 kilograms.
Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Dr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed that the operations also resulted in the arrest of three suspected drug traffickers and the recovery of large quantities of controlled and psychotropic substances.
According to the agency, two cannabis plantations measuring 0.928744 hectares were discovered at Monday Camp in Usen Forest, Ovia South West Local Government Area.
Another two farms covering 1.004278 hectares were uncovered at Igwe-Oke Forest in Owan East Local Government Area, while a fifth plantation measuring 0.336646 hectares was discovered at Ogboha Forest in Owan West Local Government Area.
The discoveries have heightened concerns over the increasing use of remote forest communities for large-scale cultivation of cannabis in the state.
Ofoyeju warned that what might have started as relatively small cannabis gardens was gradually developing into larger plantations, stressing the need for urgent intervention to prevent further expansion.
Beyond the destruction of the cannabis farms, NDLEA operatives recorded seizures in separate operations targeting the distribution of pharmaceutical drugs.
The command recovered 50,000 capsules of Tramadol, 590 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, 100 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and 25,000 tablets of Diazepam.
Three suspects were arrested during the operations.
The NDLEA commander called for stronger collaboration between the agency and local government authorities, particularly in communities where forests are increasingly being exploited for illicit cannabis cultivation.
He stressed that local authorities and residents have an important role to play in providing information capable of helping security agencies identify plantations and other drug-related activities before they expand.
The latest operations form part of a broader NDLEA campaign against cannabis cultivation in Edo State.
In August, the command destroyed another cannabis plantation measuring approximately 0.496 hectares in Ukaro Forest, Owan West Local Government Area, where three suspects were arrested.
The sustained discoveries have placed renewed attention on Edo’s forest belts and the challenge of preventing remote locations from becoming centres for the cultivation and processing of illicit drugs.
NDLEA has maintained that its drug-control strategy will continue to target both the supply chain and cultivation sites as part of efforts to disrupt the movement of illicit substances from farms to consumers.
The agency has also vowed to maintain pressure on drug trafficking networks operating within communities and forest settlements across the country.
