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One person was feared killed, Wednesday evening, in Okaka area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital city, when armed youths attacked a team of anti narcotic officials during a raid to arrest peddlers and drug dealers in the area.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!DAILY POST gathered that the team of the National Drug Law Enforcement, NDLEA, reportedly shot indiscriminately during the mob attack which a bullet hit a bricklayer who said to be coming back from work.
A source from the area told DAILY POST, that the NDLEA officials moved in to arrest a notorious dealer operating in the area but they met stiff resistance from some hoodlums who attacked them with bottles and other weapons.
Another resident, who gave her name as Martha Ovie, said at about 7pm, they saw officials of NDLEA march pass their homes, and moved straight to a particular point where boys always gather. The next thing we saw people running and we also scampered for our dear lives, we later heard someone died.
But the NDLEA, on Thursday, in a statement issued by the NDLEA State Command, Public Relations Officer, DSN Daniel Howells Obah, noted that they were on special assignment to arrest a notorious female drug dealer but were attacked by cult groups that threw bottles, stones and improvised explosive devices, leading to exchange of gun shots.
The statement reads, “Yesterday, March 20, 2024, at about 1900 hrs, officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bayelsa State Command, upon proper surveillance carried out and pre-purchase of cannabis sativa and crack cocaine made on the 15th of March, 2024, from a notorious female drug dealer that goes by the name Rebecca at Yenizue-Epie”
In the course of trying to effect her arrest, the officers were attacked by cult groups and youths of that community, seized drug exhibits, recovered and freed the said Rebecca.
They were throwing bottles, stones and improvised explosive devices leading to exchange of gun shots.
However, the NDLEA officers were able to arrest one Abraham Aderin ‘m’ 14 years who sparked the mob leaving the scene with several injuries to the office.
The same cult groups and youths, again in their numbers, proceeded to attack the State Command HQs throwing bottles and improvised explosive devices, and vandalising vehicles in the office, and dumping a lifeless body of young man in front of the office.
The situation was, however, brought under control with the swift response from the Nigeria Police and joint patrol teams of Operation Doo-Akpo.
The State Commander of the NDLEA, Kanu Sunny Chukwuemeka, CN, while expressing sadness over the ugly incidence, condemns it in strong terms why the youths who are supposed to be the advocates of peaceful societies and hope of the future will take laws into their hands by aiding and abetting the commission of drug crimes, the bane of our insecurity problems, and obstructing the arrest of a suspect.
The State Commander also thanked the swiftness and gallantry of the police in rising to the occasion, and the leadership of the IYC central zone, who were all on ground to help bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, the lifeless body, later identified as one Moses Akada has been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa pending an investigation into the real cause of his death.
Finally, the State Commander, commiserate with the family of the deceased and ask for calmness, that the matter is being looked into.
