The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Rivers State Command, has arrested 281 suspected drug offenders and seized 316.152 kilogrammes of illicit substances between July and October 2026.
The State Commander of the agency, Offor Kenneth Onyeso, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, where he presented the command’s operational achievements for the four-month period.
According to him, the suspects comprise 238 males and 43 females, while the seized substances include 288.695 kilogrammes of narcotic drugs and 27.457 kilogrammes of psychotropic substances.
Onyeso further revealed that the command filed 74 cases in court during the period, secured 54 convictions and had 276 cases pending before various courts.
Speaking on the agency’s drug rehabilitation and counselling efforts, the commander disclosed that 17 persons were admitted into its rehabilitation facility, while 143 others received brief intervention services.
He added that 277 individuals underwent drug integrity tests, while the command organised 48 drug awareness and advocacy programmes across schools, communities, workplaces, markets, religious institutions and non-governmental organisations.
According to him, the programmes reached a total of 150,942 people across the state.
The NDLEA commander, however, expressed concern over the growing involvement of minors in drug-related activities, alleging that some drug dealers were recruiting children between the ages of 12 and 16 to evade prosecution.
He warned that criminal networks were increasingly exploiting children because of their age and the assumption that they might not face the same legal consequences as adults.
“Drug dealers are now in the habit of using minors, people from the age of 12 to 16, to commit various drug offences, believing that when they are arrested, they may not be prosecuted,” he said.
He called on parents and guardians to pay closer attention to their children’s activities and associations, stressing the importance of early guidance and parental involvement.
“People should speak to their children before other people will speak to them,” he cautioned.
On drug-related hotspots in Rivers State, Onyeso identified Abuja Dam in Port Harcourt and parts of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area as major locations of concern.
He disclosed that the command had conducted several raids in the identified areas, resulting in arrests and the recovery of illicit substances.
He also mentioned operations at Abuja Dam and Abonnema Wharf, which were carried out with the support of other security agencies, including the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The commander further raised concerns over the circulation and consumption of high-grade cannabis varieties, tramadol and methamphetamine, popularly known as ‘Mkpurumini’ in Rivers State.
On preparations for the forthcoming elections, Onyeso said the command had intensified operations against identified drug hotspots allegedly being used to recruit and mobilise hoodlums capable of disrupting the electoral process.
He added that weapons recovered during some of the operations had been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further action.
The NDLEA commander commended members of the public for providing useful intelligence that had contributed to the arrest of suspects and the seizure of illicit drugs.
He urged residents to sustain their cooperation with the agency by reporting suspicious drug-related activities through its official communication channels, assuring them that the identities of informants would remain protected.
