The Cross River Command of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) destroyed an eight‑hectare cannabis plantation in Uyanga community, Akamkpa Local Government Area, on Sunday. The operation, carried out in partnership with soldiers from the 13th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, also yielded 170 kg of processed Cannabis sativa seized from the site.
NDLEA spokesperson Sebastian Lebo announced the successful raid in a statement released from Calabar. He noted that the joint team’s action follows a similar operation conducted earlier in the same council area, at Uwet community, where six hectares of cannabis fields were eradicated and 119 kg of processed product recovered.
According to Lebo, the Uyanga farm had been actively cultivating the drug for several months before the NDLEA’s intervention. The seized 170 kg of processed cannabis is expected to be destroyed in line with standard protocol for seized narcotics. The operation underscores NDLEA’s intensified focus on dismantling large‑scale cultivation sites in the southeastern region, where favourable climatic conditions have increasingly attracted illicit growers.
State NDLEA Commander John Anteyi commended the efforts of the officers and the army personnel involved, describing their performance as “brave and decisive.” Anteyi reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerian streets from illegal narcotics, a mandate he said would continue under the leadership of retired Brigadier‑General Buba Marwa, the current NDLEA Director‑General.
The recent raids come amid a broader national crackdown on drug trafficking and cultivation. Since 2022, the NDLEA has reported a steady rise in the number of cannabis farms discovered across several states, prompting calls for enhanced inter‑agency cooperation. The agency has also been expanding its intelligence network to target both production and distribution chains.
Authorities are expected to conduct further investigations to identify the owners and financiers of the Uyanga and Uwet farms. Legal proceedings against the individuals apprehended are likely to follow, in accordance with Nigeria’s drug control legislation.
The successful destruction of the Uyanga plantation and the recovery of substantial quantities of processed cannabis represent a tangible result of coordinated law‑enforcement efforts. Observers note that continued vigilance and sustained operations will be essential to curbing the proliferation of illicit drug cultivation in the region.
