Nigeria Cops  Clash With NDLEA Operatives In Kogi Over Arrest Of Inspector’s Wife Selling Cannabis, Other Substances Inside Station

 

The Nigerian Police Force have given orders for the investigation into the clash between (NDLEA) National Drug Enforcement Agency and officers of the Nigerian Police in Kogi state as alleged.


It was gathered that NDLEA operatives had a scuffle with police over the arrest of police Inspector's wife allegedly apprehended with bags of cannabis sativa and other illicit drugs.


 Around 11 a.m. on Monday inside a police station in Lokoja, the state capital.  It was gathered that the incident happened then.


According to different sources, the wife of the police inspector was arrested while distributing marijuana from her husband’s car, an ash-coloured Volkswagen parked inside the station.

 

However, when the NDLEA operatives moved to take her away with the vehicle, some policemen refused them and it led to a fight.


Another source added, “It happened at A division police post. The husband parked the car in front of his office. His wife was arrested while distributing the cannabis sativa. However, some policemen tried to stop the NDLEA officers from carrying out their lawful duty until the situation was calmed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police heading the division.

 

“The woman and her husband’s car containing the bags of weeds and other illicit drugs were later taken to NDLEA office in Lokoja for further investigation. She has so far admitted to the act. The question is; who were her customers inside a police station?”

 

The NDLEA operatives have in the past arrested police officers for drug crimes in the country.

 

Of note was the arrest of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, and three others for drug offences. Kyari’s trial is still ongoing.

 

However, the police commissioner in Kogi State, Bethrand Onuoha in a statement issued by the command’s spokesman, Williams Ovye-Aya in Lokoja, on Thursday expressed surprise over the alleged incident.

 

He explained that the clash was avoidable and that both sets of personnel misunderstood each other.

 

The statement reads in part, “It was revealed that the operatives of NDLEA trailed the woman who turned out to be the wife of an Inspector of Police attached to Area Command Lokoja to the car where it was parked in front of Bishop Delisle College opposite the Area Command Office.

 

“The woman was arrested and taken into the NDLEA vehicle with the intention of taking her away. But one of the police personnel on duty at the gate of the area Command Office challenged the NDLEA officials.

 

“But unknown to him, the woman was trailed to the car and equally arrested with a package of substance suspected to be Indian hemp.

 

“Luckily, a senior police officer intervened and brought normalcy while the woman was taken away by the NDLEA operatives without any incident.”