Ekiti Cultivate n Harvest The Most Cannabis In Nigeria

Indian hemp, cannabis sativa with many aliases known as: igbo, dope, ganja, morocco, eja and weed among others is a vast of plantation in Ekiti town, (Ogotun-Ekiti, Ekiti South-West Local Government) according to report.

The dangerous and deadly plant, whose origin could be traced to Central and South Asia, is fast displacing cash crops and despoiling the fertility of the forest, rendering it useless for the plantation of crops that could support and sustain humanity.

Though usually smoked, the plant can be soaked in alcoholic drinks dubbed ‘monkey-tail’, some people cook food with it, some boil it to drink as tea, while others just chew the plant and seeds. 

According to medical experts, some of the negative effects of indulgence in cannabis include: liver problem, heart diseases, lungs problem, poor coordination, immune system suppression, reduction of male sex hormones, reduced sexual capacity. It can also cause paranoia and cause short-term memory loss. 

Forests of Emure and Ise/Orun local governments are other hotbeds for these notorious drug lords, who are believed to hail from Delta State. They are daily pillaging the fertile forests of Ekiti, perhaps because of its topography for their illicit deal.  

Part of the cannabis sativa, when eventually harvested found its way into some dark spots in the streets of Ado-Ekiti, while the rest are moved out of the state to Lagos, Abuja and some northern states. Little wonder, the Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Ekiti, Mr. Suleiman Jadi described the state as one of the leading cultivation centres for cannabis, followed closely by Osun and Ondo States. 

The Agency revealed that over 2000 farms of cannabis in Ise and Ogotun areas had been destroyed within this year alone, while it has also seized a total of 1,562kgs of substances suspected to be hard drugs from cultivators and couriers. Jadi said  his men had seized several farmlands across the state, with largest seizure in Ogotun Ekiti , leading to the arrest of three culprits, who are being detained.

Jadi said his agency has taken the battle to the streets of Ado-Ekiti where consumption of cannabis sativa seems to be taking a dangerous dimension. According to the NDLEA Commander, in a bid to dissuade people from drug abuse, NDLEA secured the conviction of 20 persons for drug related offences in 2015. 

He said those convicted at the Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti were nabbed at various locations across the state before they were prosecuted. The NDLEA boss revealed that 17 accused persons are still being remanded in prison, with assurances that more convictions will be secured before the end of the year.