News
‘Rogue Officers’ Attack NDLEA Operatives, Soldiers, Rescue Lagos Drug Baron
Suspected gunmen numbering about 20 on Tuesday ambushed some National Drug Law Enforcement operatives who were trailing a drug baron from the Agege area of Lagos Mainland.
The operatives were trying to intercept a truck conveying unknown quantities of Canadian Loud on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State around 1am when they came under a rain of gunfire but the attackers were repelled with the assistance of some soldiers.
However, the hoodlums escaped with the baron who had been on the watch-list of the drug agency for some time.
The incident is coming against the backdrop of the arrests of several drug lords and the crippling of their criminal enterprise, leading to seizures of huge quantities of narcotics and other illicit drugs.
Sunday PUNCH reported that the NDLEA recently froze 126 bank accounts belonging to a suspected drug lord, Nsofor Chukwukadibia.
The accounts domiciled in various commercial banks had cash inflows of N4.3bn and outflows of N7.9bn, while over N50bn had passed through them.
The NDLEA also confiscated 20 mansions belonging to the suspected drug baron located in Lagos, Abuja and the South-East.
However, the drug traffickers have been fighting hard against the drug agency’s onslaught by launching attacks on its operatives.
Confirming the Tuesday attack in Lagos to The PUNCH, the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Babafemi explained that the agency successfully seized a truck-load of Canadian Loud during the operation.
According to Babafemi, Canadian Loud is a very strong and most expensive variant of cannabis.
He said, “It is usually imported from Canada and shipped through neighboring countries like Ghana and Benin Republic from where the cartels try to smuggle them into Lagos as in this particular case.”
Babafemi said, “Operatives of the agency trailed a drug movement from the Agege area of Lagos Mainland to the Ikoyi area of Lagos Island in the early hours of Tuesday, January 10, 2023.
“Our operatives blocked the truck and in the process, some suspected fake security agents who were escorting the truck struggled with our operatives, and they eventually escaped with the suspect.
“But our men were able to get the drug-filled truck. The gunmen damaged NDLEA’s operational vehicle and tried to demobilize our operatives as they damaged the windscreen of the vehicle.
“But our operatives got the support of some soldiers who were nearby during the attack, and the soldiers supported the efforts of our operatives, leading our operatives to successfully move the truck containing the drugs to our office.”
But the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi doubted the involvement of police officers in the attack, noting that the necessary steps would be taken if investigations by the NDLEA identified the attackers as police officers.
Adejobi said, “I doubt the veracity of the claim that the attackers were police officers. No reasonable police officer would involve themselves in drug dealing or attack operatives of the NDLEA during an operation to arrest a drug baron; instead, police officers are supposed to work with the NDLEA to nab criminals.’’
A security expert, Chidi Omeje called for the arrest of the attackers, describing them as rogue elements.
The Punch
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has said that every Nigerian citizen is mandated by law to initiate an arrest if they notice a crime being committed anywhere.
Adejobi made the revelation while speaking as a panelist during the panel session at the 2023 National Security Conference of the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) with the theme “Proliferation of Lethal Weapon As Security Threat: Arm-Full, Harm-full to New Dispensation’ held on Thursday in Lagos.
The FPRO, who represented the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, leveraged on Section 12 of the Criminal Code, to buttress his point, saying it empowers individual Nigerians to initiate arrest, and hand over to the Police, adding that initiating the arrest does not include beating up a suspect, mobbing or lynching.
He added however, that the difference between the regular citizens and security agencies is one does not bear arms while the other does, while reiterating that whoever wishes to own or possess weapons must have them licensed by the appropriate government agency or will be seen to have run foul of the law, and made to face and bear the full weight of the law.
“The law empowers the military personnel, and other law enforcement agencies to bear arms, but it’s however, frightening to see many individuals in possession of arms without being licensed by the relevant authority,” he said.
The Chairman, Police Service Commission, Mr. Solomon Arase, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for approving the recruitment of 30,000 new personnel into the Nigeria Police Force. He said the gesture will help not only in sustaining peace and security,but also check the proliferation of small arms and lethal weapons, which has been the bane of safety in the nation.
Mr. Arase, who was represented by AIG Ade Shinaba, made the remarks while speaking as the special guest of honour at the 2023 National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) National Security Conference at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, said the president has set the pace in setting security on the right path and the enlargement of the force will go a long way in checking the proliferation of Lethal weapons and small arms in the country.
The Commandant General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has said that the Corps will continue to ensure security of lives and protection of critical national assets and Infrastructure in Katsina state.
The National Public Relations Officer of the Corps, CSC Babawale Afolabi, in a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), said the Commandant General gave the assurance when he played host to the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umar Radda, at the Corps’ National Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that effective security is sacrosanct to the Corps and strategies are constantly being deployed to ensure that criminality is reduced drastically.
He assured the Governor and the good people of Katsina state of the Corps’ commitment to curbing insecurity by employing both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to achieving results.
“I understand that Katsina State had experienced some bandit attacks in the last couple of years.
“Its vulnerability which is partly due to its big size and geographical location as a state bordering other states in the North and the Niger Republic is of great concern.
“But be rest assured that with the on-going recruitment in the Corps, more men would be deployed to Katsina to strengthen security in the state,” the CG hinted.
He reiterates that insecurity in the country took an asymmetric form almost two decades ago and it must not be allowed to spread further.
The Corps helmsman called on State Governors who are the chief security officers of their various states to adopt more robust and inclusive approaches in stepping up security.
According to Dr Audi, state governments have greater roles to play in providing maximum support that will help in curbing attacks and criminalities in states.
“Sometimes, these bandits come out from their hiding, hit a target and run back to hiding; leaving a devastating effect on both lives and property.
“We have our Special Forces and with scientific collaborations with other security agencies, the attacks will come to an end very soon.
“No single agency can tackle insecurity, hence, the need for a more inclusive operational strategy to end the menace,” CG said.
The CG commended the Governor for the proactive steps taken in the right direction to secure his people and assured of the Corps’ readiness to collaborate effectively with Katsina State Government in the fight against banditry, vandalism and economic sabotage in the state.
Responding, the Katsina State Governor stated that his visit was to further solidify the existing cordial relationship between the Corps and Katsina State Government.
“You have have been very supportive in addressing the issues of insecurity disturbing our people.
“Katsina is one of the states suffering from bandit attacks and other forms of criminalities.
“I have therefore come to solicit for more cooperation and to see how we can collaborate in bringing peace to our state,” he said.
The Governor lamented the inadequate number of personnel across security services which has impeded the expected success in the fight against insecurity.
He explained that the state has trained and engaged the service of about one thousand five hundred (1,500) indigenes to assist the conventional security agencies in the state.
“I believe with the engagement of the locals in the form of civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), combined with the conventional security, we will go a long way in combating insecurity and reduce it to the barest minimum,” the Governor said.
