NDLEA Slams Senator Ashiru’s ‘Vendetta-Driven’ Allegations

…Says it Remains Resolute in Dismantling Illicit Drug Networks, Including Those Linked to the Senator’s Residence

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has condemned recent allegations made by Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru (Kwara South), calling his remarks an act of vendetta rather than a statement of public interest. 

The Agency, during a press briefing at its National Headquarters on Monday, October 21, 2024, addressed what it termed “unfounded and defamatory” comments by the Senator, who accused the NDLEA of corruption and compromise.

The Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who read the text of the briefing on behalf of the NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Muhammed Buba Marwa rtd, made it clear that Senator Ashiru’s outburst during a Senate plenary on October 15, 2024, was not only baseless but also driven by personal animosity. 

Babafemi stated that Ashiru’s attack came in response to previous operations carried out by the NDLEA, which uncovered illicit drug activities in the Senator’s personal residence and among his associates.

“While the Agency recognises the legislative powers of the Senate to debate and pass laws, it is disturbing that a senator would make such a categorical and unfounded statement. This unprovoked attack is not in the interest of the public but is borne out of a personal grudge the lawmaker holds against us due to previous encounters,” Babafemi said.

The NDLEA detailed these encounters, stating that it had raided the Senator’s house in Ilorin, Kwara State, on February 4, 2024, following credible intelligence that the residence was being used as a hub for drug-related activities. 

During the raid, two of the Senator’s aides were arrested, while another suspect escaped. Additionally, further investigations linked other individuals close to the Senator, notably in his hometown of Offa, to illicit drug dealings, leading to further arrests.

Babafemi revealed that one of the Senator’s associates, Oluwatosin Odepidan, was arrested with methamphetamine and cannabis during a raid in June 2023. 

The Senator’s attempts to have the charges against Odepidan dropped were unsuccessful, and the suspect was convicted and sentenced in June 2024, after initially jumping bail.

“These incidents, no doubt, explain the Senator’s outburst, as the Agency’s uncompromising stance has been a source of frustration for him. However, the NDLEA remains resolute in its mission to dismantle all illicit drug networks, including those operating from the Senator’s residence,” Babafemi added.

Despite Senator Ashiru’s accusations, the NDLEA continues to receive international accolades for its fight against drug trafficking. 

Just a day after the Senator’s remarks, the Agency commissioned a new Marine Command Headquarters in Lagos, a facility donated by the British government. 

Other similar gestures from international partners, including the United States and France, underscore the NDLEA’s reputation as a regional leader in drug law enforcement.

“The Senator’s remarks are a gross misrepresentation of facts and an attempt to undermine the integrity of the Agency. Such malicious statements, made in the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian Senate, cannot erode the confidence the public and our international partners have in us,” Babafemi asserted.

The NDLEA emphasised that it has made over 52,000 arrests and secured more than 9,000 convictions in the past three years, with three life sentences handed down in 2024 alone. 

Additionally, the Agency has spearheaded over 7,000 drug awareness campaigns and rehabilitated more than 33,000 drug users, including individuals linked to the Senator’s residence.

Babafemi concluded the briefing by reaffirming the Agency’s commitment to its drug control mandate, vowing that no amount of political pressure or public misrepresentation would deter its efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs.

“The NDLEA has undergone significant reforms since January 2021, and we will continue our work undeterred, with the support of both federal and state governments, as well as our partners at home and abroad. Senator Ashiru’s vendetta-driven remarks will not derail us,” Babafemi stated.