By Friday Idachaba

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kogi Command has destroyed a 10-hectare Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp) plantation in Okula community, Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Alfred Adewumi, NDLEA Commander in the state, made the disclosure while addressing newsmen shortly after the  destruction of the farm on Wednesday in Okula.

He decried the increasing rate of illicit use and cultivation of cannabis sativa in the state.

Adewumi explained that the alleged cannabis farmer, Clement Akor, a 42-year-old man from Enabo in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi, was arrested alongside his accomplice, David Ameh, through intelligence gathering.

The commander noted that the discovery and destruction of the hemp farm came three days after the arrest of the duo of Enduarance Samson and Abah Sunday, caught with 36.2 kilogrammes wraps of cannabis sativa.

Adewumi said that the command was committed  to stamp out illicit drug production and use from the state and would chase dealers to their roots.

He said: “Seeing, they say, is believing. What you are seeing today is certainly more than three football fields put together. I want you to make your judgment. Just look around at the huge expanse of cannabis farms.

“We just left the first farm which is equally a huge cannabis plantation. This is very unfortunate. I am worried about this unfortunate development. I have thought that Kogi  will not descend to this point.

“As things stand today, it will be direct self denial to say that people are not planting cannabis sativa because the evidence itself suggests the fact that there is high planting of cannabis sativa in the state.

“Kogi is a gateway to many other states in the North, South, East and Western parts of this country. I have promised at the point of my deployment that I won’t give room for anybody to turn Kogi to a drug cultivation state.

“And because of that, we have spread out our tentacles and reached out as far as possible with intelligence gathering. The result is what you are seeing today.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspected cannabis farmer, Akor, had pleaded with the NDLEA officials to rather take his life than destroy his farm.

Akor claimed to have invested so much on the farm and could not afford to lose it saying, “I am the owner of this farm. Just kill me, so that I won’t watch you people destroy what I have laboured for.

He said that he opted for the cultivation of Indian hemp as a means of survival instead of engaging in criminal activities such as armed robbery and Kidnapping.  (NAN)