- Says allegation strange, after-thought
A Federal lawmaker, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru on Monday described as strange, afterthought and mere fishing for justification the latest allegation by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) that its men found illicit drugs in his Ilorin-home during a raid recently.
The lawmaker said it was curious that the NDLEA had to wait for his observation which indicted the agency on the floor of the Senate before making its spurious allegations.
Ashiru is representing Kwara South Senatorial District at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
Trouble started after Senator Ashiru told the Senate last week that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency is corrupt and compromised.
The occasion was a debate during plenary on a new bill for an Act to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation on October 15, 2024.
Almost one week after the lawmaker made the indicting contribution, the NDLEA addressed newsmen on Monday at its Abuja Headquarters where it alleged that Senator Ashiru was merely fighting back.
The Agency had alleged that the Federal lawmaker deliberately tarred its image because its operatives recently raided his house in Ilorin during which illicit drugs were recovered while two of his aides: Ibrahim Mohammed and Muhammed Yahaya, were arrested.
But in a riposte, Senator Ashiru fired back at the NDLEA, saying its claims were not only preposterous but also an afterthought.
The lawmaker said apart from the fact that he did not know anybody by the names provided in their statement, he also challenged the NDLEA to provide any concrete information linking him or any of his aides to the purported illicit drugs uncovered.
In a statement issued Monday evening by the lawmaker’s aide, Olaitan Adeyanju, Senator Ashiru said: “We find it preposterous and mere fishing for justification that NDLEA had to wait for the senator’s observation on the floor the Senate before making its spurious allegations.
“As a matter of fact, Senator Ashiru never employed any aide bearing Ibrahim Mohammed or Mohammd Yahaya as bandied by NDLEA.
“The agency claimed that its operatives visited the senator’s Ilorin house and found nothing incriminating.
“The entire house was searched, and nothing incriminating was found. If any drugs were found on certain persons mentioned by the NDLEA, it is rational to ask at which court of law were the culprits charged?
“It is also important to state that Senator Ashiru has not sent any aide to the NDLEA to influence the dropping of drug allegations against anyone known as Tosin Odepidan.
“Indeed, all the names mentioned by the agency are strange, and none works directly or indirectly with Senator Ashiru.
“The NDLEA has the duty to take anyone suspected of drug dealing to court rather than name-calling and engaging in media trial.
“This clarification is necessary to set the record straight and address the misleading information circulated by the NDLEA.
“It is an open secret that many criminals, cultists, armed robbers, and drug addicts find their way back into business after gratifying and bribing law enforcement officers.
“The NDLEA ought to search its house and fish out bad eggs rather than seek cheap publicity!
“Senator Ashiru remains committed to serving the people of Kwara South and upholding the truth at all times in the search for strict professionalism among our law enforcement agencies,” the statement added.
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