NDLEA Denies Demanding ₦600,000 For Release Of 10-yr-old Suspect

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has debunked the allegation that its personnel demanded for N600,00 for the release of an arrested 10-year-old suspect in Rivers State.

The deputy State Commander, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Emmanuel Ikechukwu, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, clarified that operatives of the Command arrested one 15-year-old girl, Success Nsikan, at Chinda area of Ada George, Port Harcourt, where she was selling cannabis sativa, and not any 10-year-old suspect.

Ikechukwu further stated that Nsikan sold cannabis sativa worth of N500 to the operatives before her arrest, adding that she later led the operatives to their house to arrest father, who was her supplier.

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The anti-narcotics agency added that the father of the girl was, however, not at home and further search of the house was conducted.

The statement read in parts: “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, Rivers State Command, hereby debunks the allegation that its personnel demanded for N600,00 for the release of an arrested suspect.

“The Command further clarifies that on Thursday 17th August 2023, operatives of NDLEA Rivers State Command arrested one Success Nsikan, female, 15 years old, at Chinda area of Ada George, Port Harcourt, where she was selling cannabis sativa.

“She also sold cannabis sativa worth of N500 to our operatives before her arrest, and she led the operatives to her father who is her supplier.

“Unfortunately her father was not at home but search was conducted in her father’s room and more Cannabis sativa was recovered, totalling 1 kilogramme.

“She was taken into NDLEA facility where she is undergoing counselling and also helping the agency in our investigation. She will be released to a reliable and responsible adult after the counselling process. Meanwhile her father is still at large.

“Let me emphasise that the allegation by one Caurage Nsirimovu on his facebook page and radio station, that the NDLEA is demanding for six hundred thousand naira (N600,000) to grant bail to a 10 years old suspect is false and misleading, with ulterior motive to bring the good works of NDLEA to disrepute.

“The allegation is frivolous and should therefore be disregarded. The Suspect, Success Nsikan is 15 years old and not 10 years, and nobody demanded for money to grant her bail.

“The State Commander, Ahmed Mamuda, is using this medium to urge the good people of Rivers State to beware of those who engage in using under aged persons to peddle drugs and bring the information to NDLEA as we will continue to use all available legal means to bring them to justice.”