The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested three suspects in connection with cannabis sativa cultivation in Ekiti State.
The NDLEA state commander, Rufus Aina, said a total of 125,750kg of cannabis sativa was destroyed by operatives of the agency during operations held at Igbara Odo, Ekiti, and Ilawe Ekiti forests, while illegal substances weighing 3,456kg were recovered.
Aina stated this in a statement by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Ifeoluwa Fabiyi, an Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.
He stated that the arrests, destructions, and recoveries were made during operations which took place between Friday, October 17, and Monday, October 20, 2025.
While the 72,500 kilogrammes of fresh Cannabis Sativa planted on 29.7 hectares of farm lands were destroyed at Igbara Oke forest, 53,250kg of the substance was destroyed in Ilawe Ekiti forest. Similarly, some nursery beds of Cannabis Sativa awaiting transplanting were destroyed.
The NDLEA state commander reiterated his commitment to his vow “to clamp down on the activities of planters in the state, which necessitated the launch of ‘Operation Weed Crusher 2025.
The operation has been yielding positive results. It is a bold statement to drastically cut the supply chain of Cannabis Sativa in the state and by extension in the country.
In a bid to sustain the onslaught against miscreants who have turned Ekiti forests into hotbeds for the illegal activities of commercial cultivation of Cannabis Sativa, the Ekiti State Command of the NDLEA stormed Igbara-Odo Forest, Igbara-Odo Ekiti, and Ilawe Ekiti Forest, Ilawe Ekiti.
This massive operational success at the Igbara Odo Forest was a follow-up to the Ilawe Ekiti farm destruction operation. A total of 84 bags (72 regular bags and 12 jumbo-sized bags) of already harvested and dried cannabis sativa were also recovered, with a weight of 2,316kg.
He stressed that three suspects were arrested during the operation that started on Friday, October 17, and lasted till Monday, October 20, with the support of hired labourers.
According to the statement, the Ilawe operation, led by the Deputy State Commander, Muhammed Yaro, led to the arrest of three suspects on the farm.
It added that a total of 40 labourers were hired to join the officers and men of the NDLEA for the cannabis farms destruction operation.
PUNCH Metro reported recently that the NDLEA officers in Edo State destroyed over 18,000 kgs of cannabis sativa in one raid operation targeting cannabis cultivators in the state.
The NDLEA Edo State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, had said in a statement that a cannabis plantation was destroyed on September 11, 2025, at Ugbogui Forest, located in the Ovia South West Local Government Area of the State.
Ofoyeju warned that the ugly development constituted a serious threat to food security in the state, as lands meant to cultivate food crops are used for growing cannabis.
He said, The massive cannabis farm destruction operation, which was based on actionable intelligence, is posing a serious threat to food security. If these forests can be utilised only for the cultivation of food and cash crops, the challenge of food shortage will be adequately addressed.
