Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) successfully repelled an armed attack by hoodlums in the Opuje community, situated in the Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The assailants strategically blocked all access roads to the community in an attempt to hinder the NDLEA’s mission to reach forest warehouses believed to store a substantial quantity of processed psychoactive substances.
The alarming incident was reported by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, via a statement.
According to Babafemi, three NDLEA officers sustained injuries during the attack, with one critically shot in the head.
“The affected officers were rushed to the hospital for treatment while the critically injured one had a major surgery on Wednesday, December 6, to remove the bullets in his brain,” he noted
Several vehicles utilized in the operation were also severely damaged, bearing the brunt of bullets fired by the armed assailants.
The warehouses targeted by the NDLEA were reportedly stocked with a significant quantity of processed psychoactive substances intended for widespread distribution ahead of the Christmas and New Year season.
This assault comes on the heels of a similar confrontation merely 11 months ago, when armed youths linked to drug barons ambushed NDLEA officers attempting to dismantle warehouses and tents containing over 317,417 kilograms (317.4 metric tons) of cannabis sativa on January 18, 2023.
“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 6,000kgs 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 4th December 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 gun fight with the armed hoodlums.”
In response to the latest attack, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), issued a stern warning to those orchestrating assaults on NDLEA operatives. Marwa emphasized that the sponsors of such attacks would find no respite until they face legal consequences for their actions, putting an end to their criminal trade.