Mr. Olayinka Joe-Fadile, the Narcotics Commander for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Oyo State, has voiced concerns over the increasing use of illicit drugs in the state.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the “Public Destruction of Drug Exhibits” event held in Ipara town on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Joe-Fadile highlighted the alarming rise in cannabis sativa consumption, particularly a potent version known as “loud.” He noted that different strains such as Scottish Loud, Canadian Loud, and Arizona Loud have become prevalent in the state.
“These loud drugs are even more expensive and dangerous than regular cannabis sativa,” Joe-Fadile explained. He warned that these substances pose significant long-term health risks, slowly killing users in a painful manner.
He appealed to the youth, urging them to avoid drugs, as their effects can be devastating. “You may think the drug is giving you inspiration now, but it will eventually kill slowly and painfully,” he cautioned.
Joe-Fadile also emphasized the importance of cooperation between security agencies, which contributed to the success of the operation. He highlighted the joint effort that led to the destruction of 1.6 million kilograms of illicit drugs.
“We used to burn our exhibits separately, with each command handling its own. But today, the three states—Oyo, Lagos, and Ogun—along with other strategic commands under Zones 9 and 11, came together to carry out the task jointly,” he said. These zones include the Lagos Strategic Command, Ogun Command, Oyo State Command, Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command, Lagos Seaports, Idiroko Border Command, and Seme Command.
The collaboration among the states and commands underscores a unified approach to tackling drug abuse and trafficking in the region.
