Oluwatobi Adu 
BENIN CITY, Nigeria – The NDLEA Edo drug seizures have exposed a worrying rise in female involvement in drug trafficking, with women accounting for more than half of all suspects arrested during a major crackdown that led to the recovery of over 2.5 tonnes of illicit drugs across Edo State.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed the development on Thursday during the decoration ceremony for 73 newly promoted officers in Benin City.
State Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju said intelligence-led operations conducted throughout July dismantled key drug supply networks, uncovered three illegal drug warehouses and destroyed a cannabis plantation in separate operations across the state.
According to him, NDLEA operatives recovered 2,596.29 kilogrammes of assorted narcotics from warehouses located in Benin City and Illushi in Esan South-East Local Government Area.
The agency also intercepted two vehicles allegedly used for transporting cannabis—a Toyota Sienna with registration number NND 975 AG and a Toyota Camry with registration number BEN 503 BK.
Cannabis sativa accounted for 2,588.4 kilograms of the seized drugs, while smaller quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, psychotropic substances, 15.3 litres of codeine syrup and 10 cylinders of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, were also recovered.
The command arrested 49 suspected drug traffickers, secured convictions in four cases and successfully counselled and reunited 24 people living with drug use disorders with their families.
Ofoyeju described the increasing involvement of women in drug trafficking as one of the command’s greatest concerns.
“We have observed that females top the list of persons arrested, with 29, while males are 20. This is concerning, as it highlights a shift in the socio-economic vulnerability of women and a breakdown of traditional family stability. The command is strategising on family value re-orientation to address this negative development,” he said.
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Korede Abdullah 
Mirian Gom 