Sixteen individuals, including a teenage nursing mother and another female suspect, have been arrested by the Savannah Regional Police Command for allegedly peddling and using illicit drugs in Damongo.

The arrests, carried out in connection with World Drug Day (June 26), form part of a targeted security operation aimed at clamping down on the increasing drug menace in the region. The suspects, mostly in their late teens and twenties, were picked up from various hideouts, including cemeteries, abandoned buildings, farms, and homes.

According to police sources, eleven of the suspects were arrested on Wednesday, with five more apprehended on Thursday, June 27. The group comprises 13 males and two females, including the young mother.

Briefing the media at the Savannah Regional Police Headquarters in Damongo, the Savannah Regional Minister and Chairman of the Regional Security Council, Mr Salisu Be-Awuribe, commended the security forces for what he described as a successful operation.

He cautioned parents not to storm police stations seeking leniency for their children, but rather take full responsibility for guiding them away from harmful behaviours.
“Parents should not just be interested in bailing out their children but counsel them and give them the kind of parental guidance that will stop them from engaging in such bad practices,” the Minister said.

Mr Be-Awuribe issued a strong warning to drug dealers and users across the region: “If you are in this business, it’s better to stop now, or there will be no hiding place for you in the Savannah Region.”

He emphasised that the operation was not a one-off event but part of a sustained regional crackdown on drugs. He said the security agencies would combine punitive actions with public education to fight the drug menace.

“We are using both punitive and educative methods to sensitise people against drug abuse,” he said, recalling earlier warnings issued by traditional leaders, including the Yagbonwura, during the Islamic festivities.

The Regional Minister acknowledged the ongoing education efforts by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), but noted that despite such efforts, both drug peddlers and users continue to thrive — hence the need for intensified enforcement.

He stressed the long-term objective of the crackdown: “The aim is not only to arrest and punish, but also to reform and deter future offenders. We want to see a complete end to the trade and use of illicit drugs in the Savannah Region.”

Mr Be-Awuribe warned that parents should prepare for the consequences if their children are caught in drug-related offences. “What we’re seeing today will not end here but will be extended to all seven districts in the region,” he declared.

As of the time of filing this report, several parents, including influential community leaders, were gathered at the divisional police headquarters in Damongo, attempting to secure bail for the detained suspects.