The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday said that a total of 8,639 suspected drug traffickers were arrested with 195,283.917 kilogrammes of various substances in 2011.

The agency said it had successfully prosecuted 1,501 cases, out of which 1,491 cases were won, while 10 were lost and 701 cases are pending as of December 2011.

The agency’s Chairman, Ahmadu Giade, who disclosed these at a media briefing in Lagos, noted that there was an increase of 1,851 in the number of persons arrested in 2011, over that of 2010.

According to him, the largest seizures of drugs were recorded in the South-West and South-South states, adding that it was an indication that more effort was required to halt the spread of the substances in the country.

“Ondo State had the highest seizures with 55,473.31 kg, Edo is second with 40,633 kg, while Delta is third with 26,823.14 kg.

“Oyo recorded a seizure of 15,331.37 kg to take the fourth position, while Lagos state came fifth with 10,406.1 kg,’’ Giade said.

On the suspects arrested in 2011, the chairman said that Kano State had the highest number with 1,281, adding that Lagos came second with 382 suspects, made up of 339 males and 44 females.

Mr. Giade said Anambra was third with 361 arrested persons, comprising 301 males and 60 females.

“Katsina followed with 350 arrests, made up of 314 males and 10 females, while Rivers occupied the fifth position with 349 arrests, made up of 314 male and 35 females,’’ he added.

The chairman said the agency also recorded seizures of amphetamine stimulants in the northern states of Borno and Zamfara.

On the total number of arrested suspects, the chairman said that 8,072 were males and 567 females, while cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) constituted the largest seizures with 191,847.91 kg.

“Psychotropic substances are 2,985.45 kg; cocaine is 410.805 kg, while heroin is 39.752 kg,’’ he explained.

According to the NDLEA chairman, when compared with the seizures made in 2010, the quantity of drugs seized in 2011 weighed 178,120.725 kg, with cannabis having the highest quantity of 174,661.59 kg.

“Psychotropic substances came next with 2,550.622 kg, followed by cocaine with 706.433 kg, while heroin is 202.08 kg,’’ Mr. Giade said.

Similarly, the NDLEA Chairman announced that a total of 918 hectares of cannabis farmlands were traced and destroyed in Delta, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun and Oyo states in 2011.

He disclosed that a total of 187,505.57 kg of seized and forfeited drug exhibits were publicly destroyed in 2011, in eight states and Abuja.