There was pandemonium in Lagos Island Saturday as operatives of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) stormed some areas including Patey, Gambari, Osho and its environs to arrest a suspected drug peddler and her accomplices on Saturday.
In video footage shared online, gunshots were heard as traders deserted their wares.
In the video, a male voice was heard saying “don’t run, wait for them, wait for them, don’t run, they cannot do anything, mad people, chase them…”
In another video, some men wheeled a fair-complexioned man who appeared to be ‘dead’ in a wheelbarrow.
Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA spokesperson, said in a statement that their operatives came under attack while trying to arrest a suspected drug kingpin in Lagos Island.
Another statement issued by Mr Babafemi hours later said a “major drug kingpin operating the notorious Patey Lagos Island drug haven,” Sherifat Lawal, was arrested alongside six other suspects with almost 6,000 kilograms of drugs.
The agency “recovered 5,862 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs including Loud and Codeine in the operation.”
“Following credible intelligence and follow up surveillance on illicit drug dealing in Osho, Gambari, and Beecroft Streets, Patey Area of Lagos Island, anti-narcotic officers stormed the Gambari street base of the drug kingpin where they arrested her and six of her accomplices at 9:30 am Saturday 26th February,” the statement reads.
Mr Babafemi said, “mobilised hoodlums” attacked the agency’s operatives with stones, bottles and guns to prevent the arrest of other kingpins marked for arrest as well as taking the suspects already nabbed and drug exhibits away but they were repelled.
Other arrested suspects are Ahmed Yisau; Solomon Alape, Olayemi Akinola, Salami Qudus, Bakare Rafiu, Rose Samson, Yusuf Rofiat and Chukwudi Egon.
Premium Times
