The Nationwide Drug Legislation Enforcement Company has warned the Oduma neighborhood in Ogbia Native Authorities Space of Bayelsa State to return a stolen pistol belonging to the company inside seven days or face authorized penalties.
This was disclosed in a press release by the company’s Public Relations Officer, Daniel Obah.
No fewer than 4 NDLEA operatives have been injured after being assaulted by some indignant youths from the neighborhood on Wednesday.
The operatives have been making an attempt to arrest drug peddlers, and the operational automobile of the state’s NDLEA command was additionally vandalised by the youths, who’re suspected to be accomplices of the drug peddlers.
On Thursday, Obah mentioned that the command’s males “went for a routine operation to arrest some drug peddlers when some youths attacked them, leading to 4 personnel being critically injured.”
He added that the injured personnel have been nonetheless in hospital receiving therapy, whereas three different operatives with minor accidents had been discharged.
Obah defined that “the youths of the neighborhood tried to withstand the arrest, which led to the conflict and vandalism of the operational automobile.”
The neighborhood’s Youth President, Joshua Inebika-emi, mentioned the youths solely needed to know why the accused have been arrested with out notifying the neighborhood leaders.
He reported that 4 youths have been injured and detained whereas the operatives took them to Yenagoa for therapy in a hospital, with out permitting their family members to go to them.
Inebika-emi defined that the neighborhood “has, over time, condemned drug sellers, and there’s a legislation prohibiting the dealing in arduous medication, which is taken into account unprofessional and barbaric.”
He known as on the NDLEA state commander and the Bayelsa State Authorities to intervene, stating that they didn’t need to take the legislation into their very own arms as a result of Oduma represents peace.
Nonetheless, in its response on Friday, the anti-narcotics company condemned and described as false and malicious the claims made by the youth chief.
The assertion learn partially, “What the Youth President didn’t disclose is that, on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, suspected drug sellers and criminals taking refuge in his neighborhood attacked NDLEA officers after the officers had efficiently arrested a suspected drug supplier and his gross sales assistant, and have been making an attempt to go away.
“The irate indigenes of the Oduma neighborhood blocked the bridge to the neighborhood, overpowered the advance workforce of officers, seized a pistol, freed the 2 suspects, took the recovered reveals, and vandalised the restoration taxi with registration quantity BYS 060 TR, which was supplied to the command by the Bayelsa State Authorities.
“They shot and stabbed the NDLEA officers. It was solely once they sighted the NDLEA backup tactical workforce that they started to flee, which prevented additional fatalities.”
The assertion additional added, “The State Commander of the NDLEA, Bayelsa State, Kanu Chukwuemeka, is utilizing this chance to name on the paramount ruler and your entire management of the neighborhood to provide, inside seven days, the pistol taken from the officers, the 2 male suspects arrested, and the recovered reveals, or be ready to face authorized motion.”
The NDLEA famous that these beneath arrest, Daniel Sokoh and Samson Sokoh, have been receiving therapy in the identical hospital the place its officers are being handled.
It known as on all well-meaning people in society to hitch efforts to fight drug abuse and dependancy.
