NDLEA Raids Abuja Cannabis Party, Arrests 200 Guests

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Thursday said it raided and sealed the Diplomatic Suite Hotel, Asokoro, Abuja in a joint operation with men of the Department of State Services (DSS) to stop a cannabis party and the launch of a suspected new psychoactive drink.

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said the security operatives raided the hotel on Wednesday where about 200 attendees were arrested.

Those arrested included three young ladies who organised the hemp party.

They are being profiled and interviewed while bottles of the new drink have been taken for lab analysis, Babafemi said.

The statement reads: “The hotel was raided at about 8:18pm on Wednesday 20th April following actionable intelligence that some youths were planning to hold a hemp party at the hotel.

“Quantities of cannabis sativa were recovered from the pockets and bags of those arrested at the hemp party. The audacious party no doubt is part of attempts by some elements to create a drug subculture in the Nigerian social space.

“The NDLEA will however continue to work with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to ensure abuse of illicit substances is not allowed to get entrenched in the country under any guise.”