The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, deputy majority leader of the senate, is criticizing the agency because drugs were allegedly found in his home.
NDLEA said it raided Ashiru’s residence based on credible intelligence. This is coming after the senator representing Kwara South heavily criticised the agency, labeling it “the most corrupt and compromised government agency” in the country.
He made the allegation while contributing to the debate on the need to establish a new agency, distinct from the NDLEA, to curb drug addiction and trafficking.
But addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday in a reaction to the Kwara Senator’s sharp criticism, the NDLEA’s Director of Media, Femi Babafemi said the senator’s outburst was not borne out of altruism.
“The personal house of the senator in GRA Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, had been raided in recent past, where drugs and illicit substances were recovered while two of his aides: Ibrahim Mohammed and Muhammed Yahaya were arrested,” Babafemi said.
“Based on credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed that the senators house was being used as a drug joint for drug dealers and users, the house was raided by our operatives at 1:30pm on February 4, 2024 during which the two aides were arrested, while a third suspect escaped arrest.
“So, going by this backstory, it is deductible that these encounters that the Agency has had with the senator, must have been responsible for his outburst, and unfortunately, false allegation, the type that nobody within and outside of government has ever levelled against NDLEA before.
“Suffice it to say that in the past three years, NDLEA has emerged as a regional leader among national drug law enforcement agencies. So, come to think about it, an agency so badmouthed by Senator Ashiru couldn’t have been attracting such international goodwill and commendation for being the “most corrupt government agency” in Nigeria.
“Against the background of our encounter with people linked to him, we are wont to believe that Senator Ashiru’s invectives against NDLEA were borne out of vendetta and not any opinion made in the public interest.”
The director said in the past three years, the NDLEA has made over 52,000 arrests and secured more than 9,000 convictions.
