Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have stormed the Ujiogba Forest Reserve in Esan West LGA, Edo State and destroyed 7,286 kilograms (72.86 tons) of warehoused skunk and five hectares of its plantation.
This is coming a few days before the general elections on Saturday, February 25.
The agency said the special operation was carried out on Wednesday, February 22, following credible intelligence that some cartels had warehoused hundreds of jumbo bags of the illicit substances inside the thick forest of the reserve for distribution to some states ahead of the general elections.
This was disclosed in a statement by NDLEA Spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Thursday, February 23.
“The operation could, however, not go on immediately until after several roadblocks set up by armed guards of the drug lords were cleared and they were overpowered by the superior firepower of Strike Force officers of the Agency in a gun duel.
“After the initial resistance, two rifles spent cartridges of short guns and an empty shell of an AK47 rifle was recovered while a 24-year-old suspect, Calvary Essien, was arrested.”
According to the NDLEA, after the gunfight, operatives in their numbers successfully descended on a massive warehouse constructed with wood and zinc containing different consignments of drugs of various types.
“Seven bags of cannabis and one bag of its seeds were subsequently taken out of the warehouse for further investigation and prosecution of suspects while the rest was set ablaze.”
The anti-narcotic agency said this is coming on the heels of a similar operation on Wednesday, 18th January, in the Opuje forest in Owan West Local Government Area of the state where massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417 kilograms (317.4 metric tons) of the psychoactive substance were destroyed and set ablaze in a two-day operation.
“At least, a police impersonator, Omoruan Theophilus, 37, who was parading as a Police Inspector to convey the drugs from the forests to the cities and three others: Aigberuan Jacob, 42; Ekeinde Anthony Zaza, 53, and Naomi Patience Ohiewere, 42, were arrested in connection with the drugs,” the agency added.
Chairman of NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended all the officers involved in the effort and urged officers deployed across the country for elections to clear every part of the country of illicit substances used by thugs and miscreants before, during and after the elections.
