NDLEA prevents rescue of drowning graduate

Agboyi River

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have
been accused of drowning a 32-year-old graduate of Law, Dapo
Olasore, in the Agboyi, Alapere area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident happened on Sunday after
the officials, who came in two vans without number plates,
raided the area.
Our correspondent gathered that Olasore, aka Omopo , was about
boarding a canoe to a neighbouring community to see a relative,
when the officials stormed the community.
They were said to have shot sporadically into the air, sending
frightened residents fleeing in different directions.
However, Olasore, who was by the riverside, was said to have
been held by the trousers by the NDLEA men; and in a bid to free
himself, fell into the water.
A boatman, who attempted to save him, was said to have been
threatened with guns, leading to the death of the victim.
When our correspondent visited the community, he observed a
crowd of residents and motorcyclists in the area, who had got
wind of the news, at the riverside.
It was learnt that the victim, who graduated from a university in
Ondo State, joined the National Union of Road Transport
Workers in 2014, after he could not get a job.
His family was said to be resident in Ibadan, the Oyo State
capital.
A witness and friend of the victim, Tosin Oshin, said the NDLEA
officials arrived around 10.45am.
He said, “It happened around 10.45am. We suddenly saw two
white vehicles in our community. They began shooting into the
air and everybody started running helter-skelter.
“They went to the riverside, where Omopo (Olasore) was about
boarding a canoe. As Omopo saw one of them, he wanted to run
like other people, but the officers held him. In the struggle to free
himself, he fell into the river.
“A boat operator, who was about to rescue him, was threatened
with guns. Omopo raised his hand and asked for help, but they
didn’t help him.”
Oshin said immediately the incident happened, the officials fled
the community with two suspects.
The boat operator, Dayo Seun, said before the victim finally
drowned, he made an attempt to rescue him, but the officials
prevented him.
He said, “I was on the other side of the river when I saw the man
fall inside the river. I quickly paddled my canoe to the place he
fell into to rescue him, but they pointed their guns at me, and
asked me to go back.”
A resident, Omolara Adekunle, said the anti-narcotics officials
were always harassing residents, adding that after making
arrests, they usually collected about N40,000 for bail.
“It is not only the NDLEA that come here to conduct this illegal
raid. The police too are complicit; they have no fear of God.
“Those they arrest, they collect between N40, 000 to N45,000
from their relatives before they release them.”
Another resident, Ayeni Oluwatoyin, told our correspondent that
one of the suspects arrested, one Sunday Babalola, was
planning his graduation as a qualified mechanic for August 26.
Oluwatoyin, who showed our correspondent a vest the suspect
had distributed to his friends for the celebration, said Babalola
was giving out the vests when he was arrested.
“After collecting the vests from him, they (NDLEA men) grabbed
him by the neck and hit him. The boy begged them, but they did
not let him go,” she said.
A resident said the community would hold a procession for the
victim, after his remains had been found.
“By Tuesday, his body should float. We will hold a candlelight
procession for him on Friday,” she said.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, confirmed that
there was a raid on the community by the agency, but denied
knowledge that anybody was drowned.
He said, “The NDLEA went in search of a notorious drug dealer,
named Saheed, following an information on his activities, which
has constituted nuisance to people in that neighbourhood.
“Unfortunately, we did not find him as of the time of getting to
the place. One Babalola was arrested and he was found with 1.3
kilogrammes of cannabis. During the operation, some people
escaped through the river because they knew their activities
contravened the NDLEA Act. But we are not aware anybody
drowned.”
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