The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has warned the Oduma community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to return a stolen pistol belonging to the agency within seven days or face legal consequences.
This was disclosed in a statement by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Daniel Obah.
No fewer than four NDLEA operatives were injured after being assaulted by some angry youths from the community on Wednesday.
The operatives were attempting to arrest drug peddlers, and the operational vehicle of the state’s NDLEA command was also vandalised by the youths, who are suspected to be accomplices of the drug peddlers.
On Thursday, Obah said that the command’s men “went for a routine operation to arrest some drug peddlers when some youths attacked them, resulting in four personnel being critically injured.”
He added that the injured personnel were still in hospital receiving treatment, while three other operatives with minor injuries had been discharged.
Obah explained that “the youths of the community tried to resist the arrest, which led to the clash and vandalism of the operational vehicle.”
The community’s Youth President, Joshua Inebika-emi, said the youths only wanted to understand why the accused were arrested without notifying the community leaders.
He reported that four youths were injured and detained while the operatives took them to Yenagoa for treatment in a hospital, without allowing their relatives to visit them.
Inebika-emi explained that the community “has, over the years, condemned drug dealers, and there is a law prohibiting the dealing in hard drugs, which is considered unprofessional and barbaric.”
He called on the NDLEA state commander and the Bayelsa State Government to intervene, stating that they did not want to take the law into their own hands because Oduma represents peace.
However, in its response on Friday, the anti-narcotics agency condemned and described as false and malicious the claims made by the youth leader.
The statement read in part, “What the Youth President failed to disclose is that, on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, suspected drug dealers and criminals taking refuge in his community attacked NDLEA officers after the officers had successfully arrested a suspected drug dealer and his sales assistant, and were attempting to leave.
“The irate indigenes of the Oduma community blocked the bridge to the community, overpowered the advance team of officers, seized a pistol, freed the two suspects, took the recovered exhibits, and vandalised the restoration taxi with registration number BYS 060 TR, which was provided to the command by the Bayelsa State Government.
“They shot and stabbed the NDLEA officers. It was only when they sighted the NDLEA backup tactical team that they began to flee, which prevented further fatalities.”
The statement further added, “The State Commander of the NDLEA, Bayelsa State, Kanu Chukwuemeka, is using this opportunity to call on the paramount ruler and the entire leadership of the community to produce, within seven days, the pistol taken from the officers, the two male suspects arrested, and the recovered exhibits, or be prepared to face legal action.”
The NDLEA noted that those under arrest, Daniel Sokoh and Samson Sokoh, were receiving treatment in the same hospital where its officers are being treated.
It called on all well-meaning individuals in society to join efforts to combat drug abuse and addiction.