The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has cautioned traditional rulers in Ondo State against selling land to individuals cultivating illicit drugs, particularly cannabis, within their domains.
The warning followed the arrest of 294 suspects in connection with drug-related offences in the first quarter of 2025.
Speaking at the NDLEA command headquarters in Akure, the state commandant, Nanzing Daniel Salah, disclosed that many cannabis farms were discovered in forest areas owned or managed by traditional institutions.
He raised concerns that proceeds from these illegal farms are often used to finance criminal activities, noting that continued cultivation is severely damaging the state’s forests and natural resources.
“Traditional institutions should stop selling land to drug cultivators. Cannabis is planted in the forest, and the proceeds from the trade are used to fund crime. The continuous planting of cannabis sativa is depleting our forests and natural resources. Lands used for cultivating cannabis can no longer be used for food production, thereby aggravating food scarcity,” Salah warned
Salah also lamented the complicity of some communities, accusing them of shielding drug traffickers instead of assisting law enforcement with credible intelligence.
He noted that the NDLEA had successfully rehabilitated 130 drug users during the period under review, secured the conviction of 33 suspects, and forfeited five vehicles to the federal government.
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