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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has warned parents and guardians to monitor their children closely following the discovery of a growing practice in which drug dealers recruit minors to distribute illicit substances.
The NDLEA Rivers State Commander, Offor Kenneth, said traffickers were exploiting children to avoid prosecution, knowing that minors might not face the same legal consequences as adult offenders.
He disclosed that the dealers typically recruited children between the ages of 12 and 16 to distribute narcotics.
Kenneth urged parents and guardians to pay attention to their children’s activities and the people they associate with, warning that traffickers could exploit unsuspecting minors to expand their illegal businesses.
The commander also announced plans by the agency to intensify its operations against identified drug hotspots across Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the initiative was aimed at reducing the availability of illicit substances and preventing the social consequences of drug abuse as political activities increase.
Giving an account of the command’s operations between July and October 2026, Kenneth said the agency arrested 281 suspected drug offenders, comprising 238 males and 43 females.
He added that the arrests led to the seizure of 316.152 kilogrammes of illicit substances. The haul comprised 288.695 kilogrammes of narcotic drugs and 27.457 kilogrammes of psychotropic substances.
According to him, the command filed 74 cases in court during the period and secured 54 convictions, while 276 cases remained pending.
Kenneth also expressed concern over the circulation of high-grade cannabis, tramadol and methamphetamine, popularly known as Mkpurumini, in the state.
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Beyond enforcement, he said the command was strengthening its rehabilitation, counselling and public enlightenment programmes to tackle substance abuse.
He disclosed that 17 people were admitted to the agency’s rehabilitation facility during the period, while 143 others received brief intervention services. Another 277 people underwent drug integrity tests.
The commander reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening enforcement, rehabilitation and public awareness in the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse in Rivers State.
