Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have repelled barrage of bullets from ‘gunmen’ in Opuje Community, Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to the statement signed by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the Agency, Mr. Femi Babafemi on Thursday, the ‘gunmen’ blocked the roads in the community, thereby preventing the anti-narcotic operatives from accessing the forest warehouses, where tons of processed psychoactive substances have been stored for distribution nationwide ahead of the coming Christmas and New Year season.
NDLEA disclosed that armed youths recruited by drug barons had earlier attacked the officers of the Agency, who stormed the community to destroy massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417 kilograms (317.4 metric tons) of cannabis sativa on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.
It added that suspects; Omoruan Theophilus, 37; Aigberuan Jacob, 42; Ekeinde Anthony Zaza, 53, and Naomi Patience Ohiewere, 42, were arrested in the process.
“The Opuje community is notorious for cannabis cultivation, where the cartels invest huge resources, cutting down economic trees of the forest reserves and cultivating cannabis on a large scale, running into hundreds of hectares. After harvest, they build warehouses inside the forest reserves and employ the services of armed youths to protect the warehouses 24/7.
“Following credible intelligence that the drug cartels had again stocked their warehouses in the forest to start distribution of the psychoactive substance to various parts of the country ahead of the yuletide season, teams of NDLEA officers were mobilized to enter the Edo forests and block the distribution of the illicit drug by destroying their warehouses. Some of the warehouses containing about 6,000kgs of cannabis were first taken down in Ujiogba forest in Esan West LGA last weekend,” the Agency stated.
NDLEA added that their operatives came under gunfire attack in the early hour Monday, December 4, when they approached the Opuje forest after the armed hoodlums had blocked all access roads in the community.
Consequently, the NDLEA operatives were able to depart the area after over two hours of gun fight with the armed hoodlums.
“Unfortunately, three of the officers were injured in the attack with one of them shot in the head while some of the vehicles used for the operation were riddled with bullets. The affected officers were rushed to the hospital for treatment, while the critically injured one had a major surgery on Wednesday 6th December to remove the bullets in his brain,” NDLEA said.
Commenting on the attack, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) warned that those sponsoring attacks on the operatives would know no rest until they are all brought before the law to face the consequences of their action and their criminal trade terminated.
Gen. Marwa also commended the professional conduct of the officers involved in the operation.
His words: “The incident will not in any way deter the Agency from continuing its ongoing offensive action against drug barons and cartels who are merchants of death bent on destroying the lives of innocent citizens especially the youths for their own comfort across the nook and cranny of the country.”
