Gunmen open fire on NDLEA operatives

GUNMEN opened fire on a team of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA,  on Awolowo Road, Lagos,  in a bid to forcefully release the driver of a truck loaded with hard drugs.

The armed operatives also shattered the windscreen of one of the operational vehicles of the anti-narcotic agency used to barricade the truck.

 But the timely intervention of military men averted what would have resulted in a blood bath, as the armed operatives escaped with the driver, abandoning the truck.

In his maiden briefing at the NDLEA’s Lagos office in Gbagada,  the new  Lagos State Commander, Mr Umar  Adoro, explained that acting on intelligence, “we ambushed the truck. We knew when they finished loading and when they started their movement and we chose to accost the truck on  Awolowo Road, as that would determine whether the drugs were being conveyed to the mainland or offshore.

"We waited until midnight before the truck was sighted and we intercepted it. Unfortunately, we were distracted because when the truck driver and the vehicle were intercepted, unidentified security agents appeared and insisted that the truck must be allowed to continue its movement but we asked where and they could not tell us.

 “There was pandemonium as the security agents started shooting into the air, which attracted the army from the Medical Corps. They reinforced our officers before reinforcement came from my office.

“But the unidentified security agency took the driver and escaped with him. But we successfully got the truck. Our officers’ vehicle that  was  used to barricade the truck was damaged by the truck driver and unidentified security agents.”

51 suspects arrested

While commending other security agents for their support to the anti-narcotic agency in the war against drugs, Adoro,  who assumed the command leadership in December 2022, said in December 2022 alone, 51 suspects were arrested with the recovery of 7,295.103 kilograms of various drugs.

Of the 51 suspects arrested in 10 raids, he said 41 were males while 10 were females, adding that the agency secured 122 convictions, with  117 cases still pending before the Federal High Court.

Areas with the highest arrests

He highlighted   Akala in Mushin, Agege, Lagos Island, Ikorodu,  Epe, Ajah and Festac Town as areas in Lagos with the highest arrest, adding that a suspected drug baron was arrested yesterday morning in Festac area of Lagos.

Culled from Vanguard