Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, were engaged in a gun battle with armed hoodlums who blocked all roads in Opuje community, Owan West local government area of Edo State, to prevent anti-narcotics agents from reaching their forest warehouses.
The facilities were revealed to be storing tons of processed psychoactive substances for widespread distribution ahead of the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
According to Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesman, “this attack comes barely 11 months after armed youths recruited by drug barons ambushed NDLEA officers who stormed the community on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, to destroy massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417 kilograms (317.4 metric tons) of cannabis sativa.”
He disclosed that “at least three suspects: Omoruan Theophilus, 37; Aigberuan Jacob, 42; Ekeinde Anthony Zaza, 53; and Naomi Patience Ohiewere, 42, were arrested in connection with the drugs then.”
“The Opuje community is notorious for cannabis cultivation, where the cartels invest huge resources, cutting down economic trees in 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 6,000 kg of cannabis were first taken down in Ujiogba Forest in Esan West LGA last weekend.
“The NDLEA teams, however, came under gunfire attack in the early hours of Monday, December 4, when they approached the Opuje forest after the armed hoodlums had blocked all access roads in the community.
“The NDLEA operatives were able to exit the area after over two hours of gunfights 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, December 6th, to remove the bullets in his brain.”
In his reaction to the attack, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), warned that those sponsoring attacks on the operatives would know no rest until they were all brought before the law to face the consequences of their action and their criminal trade terminated.
While commending the professional conduct of the officers involved in the operation, Marwa said the incident will not in any way deter the agency from continuing its ongoing offensive action against drug barons and cartels.
He described them as merchants of death who are bent on destroying the lives of innocent citizens, especially the youth, for their comfort across the nook and cranny of the country.
