The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Bayelsa State has intensified its fight against drug trafficking and abuse, arresting 600 suspected offenders and confiscating 621.556 kilogrammes of illicit drugs between January and December 2025.

Bayelsa State Commander, Kanu Chukwuemeka, disclosed this during a press briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Yenagoa. The suspects included 407 males and 193 females, arrested through undercover operations, motorised patrols, and raids targeting drug joints, hotels, bars, shops, and major transport routes.

The agency also seized 51,445 tablets and capsules, 658 injection ampoules, and 224 bottles of codeine-containing psychotropic substances and opioids. A cannabis-alcohol mixture known locally as “monkey tail,” “koskorin,” or “wisdom wine” remained the most abused substance, with 435.055 litres weighing 365.53 kilogrammes confiscated during the year.

Chukwuemeka noted that young people aged 21 to 25 formed the highest group of drug abusers, with the estimated street value of seized drugs exceeding N64.7 million. Yenagoa recorded the highest number of arrests at 407, followed by Ogbia Local Government Area with 79.

On prosecution, 20 cases were filed at the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, resulting in eight convictions, three cases struck out, and one withdrawn. The agency also referred 621 individuals for counselling, successfully rehabilitated 34 clients, and conducted 671 drug integrity tests for students and residents.

The NDLEA commander urged the Bayelsa State Government and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration with the agency to curb substance abuse and promote a drug-free society.

This follows recent nationwide operations, including 17 arrests in Kano, highlighting the NDLEA’s ongoing commitment to ensuring safer communities and reducing drug-related crimes across Nigeria.