NDLEA Debunks Report Of Attack On Rivers Office By Cultists

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has debunked reports on social media that its Rivers State Command office was attacked by suspected cultists.

NDLEA’s public affairs officer in the state, Emmanuel Ogbumgbada, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the only incident that occurred was an attack on the agency’s operatives by cultists in the Diobu axis of Port Harcourt last Friday.

The statement reads in part: “The attention of the NDLEA Rivers State Command has been drawn to a misconception making the rounds on social media platforms concerning the attack of NDLEA office in Rivers State.

“The Rivers State Command of NDLEA hereby debunks the story and further clarifies that the NDLEA Office in Rivers state was never under attack by cultists.

“Let me reiterate that in the evening of Friday 14th April, 2023, Operatives of NDLEA Rivers State Command raided a hang out/drinking joint around Odunze Street, Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt, and a suspected drug dealer named Izuu Isuofia, popularly called ’50’ was apprehended with some quantity of Cannabis Sativa.

“While trying to move the suspect to the patrol van, he raised alarm and was resisting arrest which resulted in a scuffle, and within minutes, hoodlums in their large numbers accosted our operatives, and managed to free the already handcuffed suspect before the arrival of our back-up team.”

“The sole aim of the assailants was to free the drug kingpin who was already arrested and handcuffed, and they quickly dispersed as soon as they succeeded in freeing him from the operatives. No casualty was recorded.

“The State Commander, Ahmed Mamuda has tasked operatives of the Command to deploy all human and investigative assets to ensure that the suspect and his cohorts are arrested and brought to book, as there is no hiding place for drug dealers and their sympathisers, and no one is above the law. He also urged members of the public to ignore any information to the contrary.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a suspected cultist by members of a rival cult group in the Diobu axis of Port Harcourt on Wednesday night.

The Police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the killing along Ekwe Street, off Ikwerre Road, was as a result of cult rivalry.

Iringe-Koko stated that the Commissioner of Police, Effiong Okon, has mandated tactical teams and other officers to fish out the perpetrators and sponsors of the cult clashed while investigation is ongoing.