NDLEA Warns Bayelsa Community After Youths Free Drug Suspects and Steal Pistol

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has issued a stern warning to the Oduma community in Ogbia Local Government Area.

The agency demands the return of a stolen weapon and the surrender of two freed drug suspects within seven days or face severe legal consequences.

The incident unfolded on Wednesday when NDLEA officers attempted to arrest suspected drug peddlers in the community.

According to the NDLEA's Public Relations Officer, Daniel Obah, the situation escalated quickly as local youths attacked the operatives. "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," Obah stated.

The altercation did not end there. The irate youths allegedly blocked the road, preventing the NDLEA operatives from leaving the community.

They overpowered the officers, stole a pistol, freed the two suspects, and vandalized the operational vehicle provided by the Bayelsa State Government.

"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," the NDLEA's statement read.

The community's Youth President, Joshua Inebika-Emi, countered the NDLEA's claims, insisting that the youths only sought to understand why the arrests were made without prior notification to community leaders. He claimed that four youths were injured and detained while being taken to Yenagoa for treatment.

"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," Inebika-Emi said.

However, the NDLEA refuted these claims, describing them as "false and malicious."

The agency emphasized that the youths' actions were premeditated and violent. "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 statement added.

The NDLEA has given the community a seven-day ultimatum to return the stolen pistol, the two male suspects, and the recovered exhibits.

"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 agency warned.