National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has on Saturday announced the arrest of a female major drug kingpin, Mrs Sherifat Kehinde Lawal operating the notorious Patey Lagos Island drug haven, in Lagos State.
Giving an update first on Twitter, NDLEA addressed ‘fake narratives’ it said were being circulated on social media.
The agency revealed that Mrs. Lawal was arrested along with 5 other suspects by officials, who also recovered 5,862 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs including Loud and Codeine in a raid.
A lot of fake narratives have been going on on what happened at Petty area of Lagos Island earlier today. Please disregard them. Truth is our operatives went for the arrest of a major drug kingpin and we got her and 5 others with almost 6,000kg of drugs despite attacks on our men
— NDLEA NIGERIA (@ndlea_nigeria) February 26, 2022
NDLEA made the statement following the emergence of a video showing Lagos Island youths having a clash with officers of the agency.
It was alleged that the officials while shooting indiscriminately at youths who only wielded stones killed 3-5 people.
“NDLEA is on Lagos Island at moment and they’re having a serious disagreement with the citizens there, 3-5people are reported de•d already by gunsh0ts.NDLEA officers are using sophisticated ammunitions against people running with stones”
Spread it 🚨— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) February 26, 2022
Giving an update later, NDLEA released a video of the arrested suspects and the illicit drugs.
Outcome of Lagos island raid: More details shortly pic.twitter.com/r9b4UrX24y
— NDLEA NIGERIA (@ndlea_nigeria) February 26, 2022
NDLEA in an statement issued by the spokesperson of the anti narcotic agency, Mr Femi Babafemi, said;
Following credible intelligence and follow up surveillance on illicit drug dealing in Osho, Gambari, and Beecroft Streets, Patey Area of Lagos Island, anti-narcotic officers stormed the Gambari street base of the drug kingpin where they arrested her and six of her accomplices at 9:30 am Saturday 26th Feb.
Other members of the cartel operating in the axis however mobilised hoodlums who attacked the operatives with stones, bottles and guns in a bid to prevent the officers from arresting other kingpins marked for arrest as well as taking the suspects already nabbed and drug exhibits away.
It added;
The operatives were able to tactically defend themselves, took the suspects and exhibits away. Other suspects in custody with Mrs. Lawal include: Ahmed Yisau; Solomon Alape; Olayemi Akinola; Salami Qudus; Bakare Rafiu; Rose Samson; Yusuf Rofiat, and Chukwudi Egon.
In his reaction to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the Lagos Command of the Agency for the successful operation.
He warned those being used by drug cartels to obstruct or attack anti-narcotic officers in the course of doing their work to desist or face dire consequences.
