During the early hours of today, officials of the NDLEA (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency) embarked on a drug raid in response to some reliable intelligence they claim to have gotten. The officials stormed Patey, Dumare, Tapa, and Freeman areas of Lagos Island. No sooner had the raid begun than videos started appearing on different social media platforms showing the NDLEA officials shooting sporadically in the presence of unarmed civilians. Although not yet confirmed, many have reported that at least three civilians were killed during the shootout.
This drug raid occurred just days after the Marlian Music artistes, Zinoleesky and Mohbad were arrested on charges of illegal drug possession. The artistes’ fans took to their social media accounts to condemn the acts of the NDLEA with Naira Marly, the label boss, stating that he suspected that the NDLEA had a personal vendetta against him because of his unpleasant history with them. The artistes have since been released but claimed that the NDLEA officials physically abused them.
This recent raid has received more backlash than the arrest of the signers. Many have labeled the NDLEA “the new SARS,” stating that their actions mirror those of the disbanded unit.” Mr. Macaroni, the Nigerian comedian, condemned the NDLEA’s violent actions on his Twitter account. He also urged Nigerians to respect law enforcement officials as every one of us has a part to play. The comedian expressed his strong condemnation of drug abuse while also commending that the officers carry out their duties without threatening the lives of civilians.
The NDLEA has since taken to their official Twitter account to refute these claims stating that they were false narratives urging that Nigerians disregard all unofficial reports of the event. According to the official Twitter account, the raid, which was carried out in pursuit of a major drug kingpin, was successful as almost six thousand kilograms of illegal drugs were confiscated despite attacks on their officials.
The war against hard drugs in Nigeria is a necessary one. Unfortunately, every day, more and more people, especially young men and women, are roped into the vicious cycle of drug abuse and its consequences. This is why the presence of agencies like the NDLEA is vital. Nevertheless, one cannot ignore the brutish and often ineffective methods that Nigerian law enforcement agencies repeatedly employ to combat these issues. Perhaps this is why many have lost their faith in the justice system and their ability