‘Agbo’ sellers now major distributors of hard drugs – Edo Assembly Deputy Speaker

By Jethro Ibileke

Women selling herbal concoctions  popularly known as ‘agbo’ are now major distributors of illicit drugs on the streets and motor parks across major towns in Edo State, says Deputy Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Mrs Maria Oligbi-Edekor.

Oligbi-Edekor, said this on Wednesday when she received executive members of the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in her office in Benin City.

Speaking on the harmful impact that drug trafficking and drug abuse has had on youths in the state, she noted that some agbo hawkers now sell  drugs to  youths.

The Deputy Speaker further noted that if subjected to drug tests, 60 percent of youths and some parents would test positive.

She said as a former University lecturer, she “saw the tragedy associated with drugs being sold in every nooks and crannies of our society”.

She said: “Every woman on the street with a container bearing different herbal mixtures and concoctions are the agents and distributors of these hard drugs which are prevalent every where in the society.

“Today, we are having vulnerable persons that are victims of drugs that is a new plague because our community is being destroyed by drugs.

“I believe it is within the exclusive list in our constitution but my believe is the issue of drug abuse should be on the concurrent list because the people consuming drugs are within our community.

“I have had collaborative partnership with NAFDAC and NDLEA in taking the campaign against drug abuse to schools, churches and market places.”

Oligbi-Edekor therefore proposed that operatives of NDLEA should “buy those basins from the agbo sellers hawking these drugs and take them for laboratory analysis because even at 1am you still see these agbo sellers displaying them”.

.”The lawmaker expressed her resolve to collaborate with the Nigerian Red Cross Society to rid every part of the state of the menace of drug trafficking and its abuse amongst youths.

“I am willing to join in your campaign and sensitization against drugs trafficking and drug abuse in our society because presently we have an humanitarian crisis staring at us in the face,” she stated.