Katsina — The Katsina command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it arrested a 60-year old Muhammad Sani Bawa with 167 kilograms of cannabis.

Parading some suspected drugs dealers yesterday, the agency's commander for the state, Hajiya Maryam Gambo Sani, said from January, 2012 to December, 2012, the command seized over 1000 kilograms of cannabis sativa and 12.618 kilograms of psychotropic substances.

"This gives a total of 1, 081.037 kilograms of illegal/controlled drugs seized by the command during the year under review. We have arrested 411 persons for various drug related offences of which 45 were convicted to jail terms ranging from six months to 25 years imprisonment", she said.

Maryam also said the command had a total of 62 pending cases in the curt and 265 arrested drug users were counseled and rehabilitated under the care of the command.

She described as alarming the abuse of rubber solution, nail polish remover, lizard dung, petrol, and the inhaling of pit latrine in the state, saying the trend indicated that much is needed to be done to address the situation.