Fifteen persons, including a teenage nursing mother and another female suspect, have been arrested in Damongo, the capital of the Savannah Region, for allegedly peddling and using illicit drugs.

The arrests, which coincided with World Drug Day (June 25), were carried out by the Savannah Regional Police Command in collaboration with sister security agencies.

The suspects, aged between their late teens and late 20s, were picked up from hideouts in cemeteries, abandoned buildings, private homes, and farmlands across the municipality.

Eleven suspects were arrested on World Drug Day, and the remaining four were picked up today, bringing the total to 15.

The group comprises 13 males and two females, all of whom are currently detained at the Damongo Divisional Police Command.

Speaking at a press briefing at the regional police headquarters, Savannah Regional Minister and Chairman of the Regional Security Council, Salisu Be-Awuribe, commended the security agencies for what he described as a “successful and symbolic operation.”

He issued a stern warning to parents: “Parents should not just be interested in bailing out their children. They must instil discipline and provide the guidance needed to keep them away from these bad practices.”

Mr. Be-Awuribe warned that the crackdown will not stop at Damongo: “This is just the beginning. The operation will extend to all seven districts in the region.

"If you are involved in this drug trade, stop now—Savannah Region will no longer be a safe haven for you.”

He emphasised that the strategy includes punitive, intelligence-led, and educational measures to reduce drug abuse and trafficking.

He praised NACOB’s (Narcotics Control Commission) efforts at education but noted that some still persist in the illegal trade.

“These arrests send a clear message: there will be no hiding place for drug dealers or users in the Savannah Region,” he stressed.

He added that education campaigns would be intensified alongside enforcement efforts to ensure long-term change, especially among the youth.

At the time of filing this report, several parents, residents, and opinion leaders had gathered at the Divisional Police Command, pleading for clemency on behalf of the suspects.

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