By Oluwakemi Kindness
AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has challenged the Federal Government’s approach to cannabis control, arguing that Nigeria could gain economically by legalising and regulating the plant instead of destroying farms.
Sowore criticized the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Tuesday after its Edo State Command destroyed two cannabis plantations with an estimated yield of 4,628.9 kilogrammes.
In a post on X, the human rights activist said the government should explore the plant’s medicinal and industrial potential through proper regulation.
He argued that a regulated cannabis industry could create jobs, generate government revenue and support research, particularly as Nigeria continues to face widespread economic hardship.
Sowore also called on the government to end what he described as an outdated approach to cannabis control and invest in developing a legal framework for its cultivation and use.
The NDLEA, however, said the Edo operations were part of its nationwide efforts to dismantle illicit drug production and trafficking networks.
The agency’s Edo Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the first plantation in Ugboku, Igbanke Forest, covered about 0.7 hectares and had an estimated yield of 1,749.26 kilogrammes.
A second plantation, measuring about 1.15 hectares, had an estimated yield of 2,879.72 kilogrammes. Two bags of processed cannabis weighing 12.4 kilogrammes were also recovered.
The agency said 10 suspected drug traffickers were arrested in separate operations in Oluku and Benin City, with various illicit substances recovered.
The suspects remain in custody as investigations continue ahead of prosecution.
