The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has justified the burning of cocaine and other illicit drugs seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
NDLEA’s recent revelation of seizing and setting ablaze cocaine weighing 1.8 tonnes and valued at over N194 billion set off a barrage of criticisms.
The cocaine, set ablaze at the NDLEA Seme Special Area Command compound at Bereko, Badagry area of Lagos on Tuesday, was said to be “the biggest singular cocaine seizure” in the agency’s history.
Many Nigerians condemned NDLEA’s handling of the seized drugs for various reasons, including economic and evidential.Fielding questions from State House correspondents at the end of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Mr Malami said the drugs were burnt to stop them from circulating in the country.
He echoed NDLEA’s explanation that a small sample of the drug was retained as evidence for prosecution.Mr Malami, whose ministry plays supervisory roles over the NDLEA, also said Nigeria could not derive economic benefit from the cocaine, or else the government would become a drug peddler.
Uploaded by – ADULEYE OYINKANSOLA
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