Nigerian senator using residence as joint for drug dealers, says drug law enforcement agency

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that its operatives found hard drugs and other illicit substances in the private residence of Senator Oyelola Ashiru representing Kwara South at the national assembly.

Penpushing reports that Director of Media and Advocacy of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Femi Babafemi made the revelation on Monday at a press conference in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that the private residence is being used as joint for drug dealers

The Director of Media and Advocacy, explained that the disclosure was in response to Ashiru’s claim that the agency was ineffective and had become compromised in its duty, emphasizing that the hard drugs and other illicit substances were discovered during a raid at the Senator’s home last February

Penpushing further reports that Babafemi explained that the agency was compelled to call the press briefing because of an unfortunate development earlier last week during plenary in the Nigerian Senate when some uncomplimentary, unfounded, defamatory remarks were made against the agency.

The Director of Media said the agency acknowledged the great work of the Senate towards uplifting Nigeria and Nigerians, especially its support for the ongoing concerted efforts towards the amendment of the Act establishing it.

Penpushing also reports that he, however, declared that the agency was duty-bound to respond to the unprovoked attack against it by Ashiru during his contribution to the debate on the new bill, stating that the anti-graft waited for a whole week, hoping the senator would clarify his position on such a weighty allegation against it, but that when he did not do so, it was left with no option but to set the record straight.

The agency spokesperson stated that the operatives raided the senator’s apartment on February 4, 2024, at about 1.30 p.m, after receiving credible intelligence that he was using his apartment as a joint for drug dealers and consumers of hard drugs.

Penpushing reports that Babafemi disclosed that two of the senator’s aides were arrested during the raid in connection with the allegation while another one escaped, adding that the agency was still on the trail of the runaway aide

‘The personal house of the senator in GRA Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, had been raided in the recent past, where drugs and illicit substances were recovered while two of his aides, Ibrahim Mohammed and Muhammed Yahaya, were arrested’, he stated.

“Based on credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed that the senator’s house was being used as a drug joint for drug dealers and users, the house was raided by our operatives at 1:30 pm on February 4, 2024, during which the two aides were arrested, while a third suspect escaped arrest’, Babafemi said.

Penpushing further reports that it is recalled that the senator made claim last week during the debate on the bill to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, that the issues go beyond the agency and that the establishment has become compromised

“Drug issues have become a very serious problem. Without being economical with the truth, more than 70 per cent of our youthful population is into drug consumption. And from my own little discussion in my constituency, I discovered that the issue goes beyond NDLEA’.

‘NDLEA has become so compromised, so ineffective to the extent that even drug enforcement or drug education, NDLEA will never get where we are going to’, Ashiru had said during his contribution to the bill.

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