The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that it arrested two hundred and fourteen suspects between January and July this year over drug-related offences in Gombe state.

Giving details of the operation, the State Deputy Commander of the Agency on Narcotics, Bello Mumini, who spoke at a programme organised by the Association of Professional Counsellors, APROCON, in Nigeria, said operatives seized 93.95Kg of cannabis sativa, 257.5Kg of psychotropic substance and methamphetamine from the suspects within the period under review.

Speaking on a paper he presented titled “Drug Abuse Situation in Gombe State,” Mumini said the 214 suspects included 200 males and 14 females.

He added that of the 214 arrests, 30 convictions had been secured, while 137 of them had been charged to court.

The NDLEA official decried that drug and substance abuse in the State cut across gender, age and social status, lamenting that many women had been found abusing drugs.

According to him, it was discouraging that the NDLEA rehabilitation centre in the State was not being utilised properly despite the high rate of drug abuse in the State.

He stated that the centre has a 24-bed capacity, but the highest they get is seven clients undergoing rehabilitation.

He appealed to the state government and other partners to support the centre by sponsoring clients towards their effective rehabilitation.

In her remark, the chairperson of APROCON, Dr Habiba Isah, decried that drug abuse had become one menace that should worry all stakeholders given its negative effects on the youth.