₦airaland Forum

Officials of the
National Drug
Law
Enforcement
Agency have
been accused
of drowning a
32-year-old
graduate of
Law, Dapo Olasore, in the Agboyi, Alapere area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident happened on Sunday after the officials,
who came in two vans without number plates, raided the area.
Our correspondent gathered that Olasore, aka Omopo , was about boarding a
canoe to a neighbouring community to see a relative, when the officials stormed
the community.
They were said to have shot sporadically into the air, sending frightened
residents fleeing in different directions.
However, Olasore, who was by the riverside, was said to have been held by the
trousers by the NDLEA men; and in a bid to free himself, fell into the water.
A boatman, who attempted to save him, was said to have been threatened with
guns, leading to the death of the victim.
When our correspondent visited the community, he observed a crowd of
residents and motorcyclists in the area, who had got wind of the news, at the
riverside.
It was learnt that the victim, who graduated from a university in Ondo State,
joined the National Union of Road Transport Workers in 2014, after he could not
get a job.
His family was said to be resident in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
A witness and friend of the victim, Tosin Oshin, said the NDLEA officials arrived
around 10.45am.
He said, “It happened around 10.45am. We suddenly saw two white vehicles in
our community. They began shooting into the air and everybody started running
helter-skelter.
“They went to the riverside, where Omopo (Olasore) was about boarding a
canoe. As Omopo saw one of them, he wanted to run like other people, but the
officers held him. In the struggle to free himself, he fell into the river.
“A boat operator, who was about to rescue him, was threatened with guns.
Omopo raised his hand and asked for help, but they didn’t help him.”
Oshin said immediately the incident happened, the officials fled the community
with two suspects.
The boat operator, Dayo Seun, said before the victim finally drowned, he made
an attempt to rescue him, but the officials prevented him.
He said, “I was on the other side of the river when I saw the man fall inside the
river. I quickly paddled my canoe to the place he fell into to rescue him, but
they pointed their guns at me, and asked me to go back.”
A resident, Omolara Adekunle, said the anti-narcotics officials were always
harassing residents, adding that after making arrests, they usually collected
about N40,000 for bail.
“It is not only the NDLEA that come here to conduct this illegal raid. The police
too are complicit; they have no fear of God.
“Those they arrest, they collect between N40, 000 to N45,000 from their
relatives before they release them.”
Another resident, Ayeni Oluwatoyin, told our correspondent that one of the
suspects arrested, one Sunday Babalola, was planning his graduation as a
qualified mechanic for August 26.
Oluwatoyin, who showed our correspondent a vest the suspect had distributed
to his friends for the celebration, said Babalola was giving out the vests when
he was arrested.
“After collecting the vests from him, they (NDLEA men) grabbed him by the
neck and hit him. The boy begged them, but they did not let him go,” she said.
A resident said the community would hold a procession for the victim, after his
remains had been found.
“By Tuesday, his body should float. We will hold a candlelight procession for him
on Friday,” she said.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, confirmed that there was a raid
on the community by the agency, but denied knowledge that anybody was
drowned.
He said, “The NDLEA went in search of a notorious drug dealer, named Saheed,
following an information on his activities, which has constituted nuisance to
people in that neighbourhood.
“Unfortunately, we did not find him as of the time of getting to the place. One
Babalola was arrested and he was found with 1.3 kilogrammes of cannabis.
During the operation, some people escaped through the river because they knew
their activities contravened the NDLEA Act. But we are not aware anybody
drowned.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/ndlea-allows-graduate-to-drown-during-raid/
cc lalasticlala

so sad. in nigeria any thing can happen

"that's jungle justice". Quote me anywhere.

News reported to paint NDLEA bad.. Poo

Nigerians are already typing comments like "its sad" and "Nigeria is a zoo"... You folks are hilarious.
Those watersides are common grounds for drug peddlers and criminals and every well thinking person knows that. Once NDLEA tries to apprehend them, the bad guys jump into the river and swim away and this is always the case. The Man could have stood his ground if wasn't in possession of any drugs. Sad for him to go that way though... But its not entirely NDLEA operatives fault.

anuma1:
so sad. in nigeria any thing can happen

thats what u see amongst our so called forces...they prefer to take on civilians than the actual enemies

This is sad.

OZAOEKPE:
"that's justice". Quote me anywhere.

how is that just by drowning a promising young man.....thats unfair

The zoo in its glory

People are killed everyday with no report, no investigation

The Life of a Baboon or Monkey in the zoo is not worth more than that of a Chicken

The zoo is a criminal enterprise

useless country, were people are termed criminals by the security even without going to court.

Something is fishy in that news by the way why we're they running..........


Maybe because of cannabis or hemp maybe not
Atagafurula

Kai, dis story pa, e getas e bi wallahi kuwa

Once a Nigerian puts on a uniform whether its army, navy, airforce, police, customs, immigration,NDLEA, civil defence, VIO, LASMA, TIMARIV, Man O' War, Boys scout, WAI Brigade,Bank security men, fast food security menn they all start acting like animals without conscience

This should make it to the front page