Gunmen attack NDLEA officials in Edo forest, injure three

The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, revealed in a statement on Thursday that three officials of the agency were wounded when they resisted a gunfire assault at a forest in Edo State.

He said armed gunmen barricaded all roads at Opuje community in the Owan West LGA of Edo State to stop the anti-drug operatives from reaching the forest warehouses where tonnes of refined psychoactive substances have been kept for nationwide distribution ahead of the festive season.

“The first set of warehouses containing about 6,000 kg of cannabis were destroyed in Ujiogba forest in Esan West LGA last weekend,” the statement partly said.

Four suspects—Omoruan Theophilus, Aigberuan Jacob, Ekeinde Zaza, and Naomi Ohiewere—were nabbed in relation to the drugs.

“The NDLEA teams, however, faced a gunfire attack in the early hours of Monday, December 4, when they got to the Opuje forest after the armed gunmen had blocked all access roads in the community. The NDLEA operatives were able to escape the area after more than two hours of gun battles with the armed gunmen.

“Sadly, three of the officers were hurt in the attack, with one of them shot in the head, while some of the vehicles used for the operation were pierced with bullets. The injured officers were taken to the hospital for treatment, while the critically wounded one had major surgery on Wednesday, December 6th, to extract the bullets from his brain,” Babafemi said.

Responding to the attack, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) warned that those backing attacks on the operatives would face no peace until they were all brought to justice to face the consequences of their action and their illegal trade ended.

He praised the professional conduct of the officers involved in the operation, saying the incident will not in any way discourage the agency from continuing its ongoing aggressive action against drug lords and cartels.