The North-West geo-political zone Nigeria has reportedly recorded the highest number of drug cases in the country with 2,353 cases between 2012 and 2016, while North Central and South-South zones followed with 1,494 and 1,303 cases, respectively. A report from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, on drug abuse and enforcement released yesterday, said South-West, North-East and South-East regions recorded 1,288, 1,017 and 802 drug cases, respectively, in 2016. The data revealed that 262,934kg quantity of narcotics was seized in 2016, as against 834,709kg seized in 2015, while 8,257 suspects were arrested in 2016 as against 8,778 in 2015. NBS stated that: “The North-West geo-political zone recorded the highest number with 2,353 cases, while North Central and South-South followed with 1,494 and 1,303 cases recorded, respectively. “South-West, North-East and South-East regions recorded 1,288, 1,017 and 802 drug cases respectively, in 2016. A total of 2,777 counselling cases were reported in 2016 as against 4,106 in 2015, while 2,774 counselling were concluded in 2016 as against 4,095 in 2015.” The report further said 2,276 suspects were prose-cuted in 2016 as against 1,731 in 2015, while 2,287 were convicted in 2016 as against 1,660 in 2015.
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