. As Marwa orders new operational guidelines to protect NDLEA operatives on duty
By Emma Ogbuehi
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), have arrested a notorious drug dealer at Nukai market, along Jalingo-Wukari road in the Taraba state capital, Jalingo, Micha Godwin. However, the anti-narcotic officers came under attack during the operation, in which, at least seven of them were injured and one of their vehicles damaged.
Despite the attack, the officers managed to arrest their target after recovering some quantities of illicit drugs from him and thereafter retreated to take the wounded to the hospital for treatment.
READ ALSO:
Hoodlums attack officers as NDLEA raids Lagos drug den
Following credible intelligence, the operatives on Tuesday, March 8, stormed the market at about 2.30pm to arrest the drug dealer and evacuate illicit substances in his warehouse. Soon after the arrest of Micha, miscreants mobilised from the community to attack the officers and vehicles with dangerous weapons.
A reinforcement from the state Command of the Agency and other security agencies was able to move in to rescue the operatives from the scene of attack.
In custody, the drug dealer said what happened was bad because that was the second time he had been arrested and brought to the Agency’s facility but the first arrest was not like this. “I don’t know who invited the boys who attacked the NDLEA officers”, he stated.
Reacting to the incident, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) condemned the attack and directed immediate switch to new operational guidelines that will make officers and men well positioned to defend themselves adequately in the course of carrying out their duties.
He again warned that henceforth any obstruction or attack on NDLEA operatives in line of duty by suspects or their supporters would receive commensurate response.
Similar incidence of attack had been meted to the operatives during their recent raid at a drug den in the Island area of Lagos State. As in the Taraba case, the officers rose to the challenge and overpowered their assailants.