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NDLEA Raises Alarm Over Impersonation In Niger State

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Niger State have raised an alarm over some persons who carry out illegal operations across the State without … Continue reading NDLEA Raises Alarm Over Impersonation In Niger State


obiano, NDLEA, drug war, Anambra

ndlea The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Niger State have raised an alarm over some persons who carry out illegal operations across the State without uniforms and proper Identification cards.

The State Commander of the anti-drugs agency, Mr Iweanjunwa Joseph, gave the indication on Friday in an interview with Channels Television at the State headquarters of the Command in Minna, the State’s capital.

Mr Joseph, however, described some of the agency’s informants either as double agents or drug addicts, who would give the NDLEA information about drug users and also go back to the drug users and give them information about the agency’s operations.

Drug Addict

“In fact, from what I have seen, though NDLEA Operatives are not Saints, some people that give us information about drug users are unfortunately what we call double agents. They would give us information about drug users and they go back to the drug users and give them our own information too.

“At times, these informants go to drug dealers to obtain money. We recently arrested one of them who claimed to be NDLEA officer. I have one of such suspects in our cells here, he was arrested in Suleja Area Command, using fake NDLEA uniform and Identity card. He went about, collecting money from these people that sell patient medicines and some of them that hawk drugs.

“The guy was a drug addict. Sometimes if they did not give him money, he used tramadol, cough syrup with coding and rephinol,” Joseph said.

He further gave some clarification about the NDLEA operations in the Niger State Command, highlighting that all legal operations by the operatives of the agency were being approved by him after which his Men can go on any legal operations in parts of the State.

The NDLEA Boss, said that if he was not around, his Deputy Commander in charge of Operations and Intelligence could also give an instruction on his behalf, provided he authorised his deputy to act in his stead.

According to him, these were the only ways operations could be approved and carried out at the State’s Command headquarters in Minna.

“I think it should be the same thing at the Area Command because NDLEA operations are uniform. There, the Area Commander is in charge and I am quite sure he cannot send out his Officers to go and carry out any raid operation without surveillance reports and of course, an approval by him,” he stated.

He further explained that some of the persons impersonating the NDLEA operatives had been arrested after painstaking surveillance by him and the personnel attached to the State Command of the Agency.

“We have arrested some of the suspects and are right now, being prosecuted before a High Court sitting in Minna,” Mr Joseph stated, emphasising that the NDLEA had full uniforms for all its officials.