Senate Deputy Leader Oyelola Ashiru has challenged the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to prosecute anyone arrested by its operatives in connection with illicit drugs.
Ashiru last Wednesday in the Senate during debate on a Bill seeking to establish a National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, commented that the proposal was a welcome development as according to him, โNDLEA is corrupt and already compromised.โ
But the NDLEA in its reaction to Ashiruโs statement by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in Abuja on Monday, alleged the Senatorโs comments were vindictive.
Babafemi alleged that Senator Ashiru made disparaging comments on NDLEA last week because of his failure to stop the arrest and trial of some persons allegedly found to be involved in drug abuse in his house.
In reaction to NDLEAโs allegations, Senator Ashiruโs special assistant, Olaitan Adeyanju, in a statement asked the anti-graft agency to go ahead and charge anyone accused of engaging in illicit drugs to court.
The statement reads in part: โThe NDLEA claims to have discovered drugs in Senator Ashiruโs Ilorin house but thereโs no information on which court of law the culprits were charged to.
โIn fact, Senator Ashiru has been vocal about the NDLEAโs corruption and compromise, which might be the reason behind these allegations.โ
The senatorโs assistant also explained that Ashiru didnโt send any aide to influence the dropping of drug allegations against Tosin Odepidian and the names mentioned by the agency are unfamiliar.
โHowever, the Senator has challenged the agency to prosecute anyone that is found with illicit drugs,โ he said. (Nation)