Nigerian Senator Confirms NDLEA Raided His Residence

Kwara South Senator Oyelola Ashiru has confirmed that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) conducted a raid on his residence in Ilorin.

However, he asserted that the agency did not find any hard drugs or other illegal substances during the operation.

The deputy senate leader made this statement through his legislative aide, Olaitan Adeyanju, on Monday.

This comes after the NDLEA claimed it had discovered hard drugs and other illicit substances in Mr. Ashiru’s home during a raid in February, in response to the senator’s allegations of the agency’s ineffectiveness and compromised duties.

“The entire house was searched, and nothing incriminating was found,” Ashiru stated. “If any drugs were found on certain persons mentioned by the NDLEA, it is rational to ask at which court of law the culprits were charged.”

The statement also clarified that Senator Ashiru has not attempted to influence the NDLEA regarding drug allegations against an individual known as Tosin Odepidian.

“Indeed, all the names mentioned by the agency are strange, and none works directly or indirectly with Senator Ashiru,”

The senator voiced his concerns about the timing of the NDLEA’s claims, stating, “We find it preposterous and mere fishing for justification that NDLEA had to wait for the senator’s observation on the floor of the Senate before making its spurious allegations. As a matter of fact, Senator Ashiru never employed any aide bearing Ibrahim Mohammed and Mohammed Yahaya as bandied by NDLEA.”

In his statement, Ashiru urged the NDLEA to bring anyone found guilty of drug-related offenses to court instead of conducting a “media trial.”

“The NDLEA has the duty to take anyone suspected of drug dealing to court rather than name-calling and engaging in media trial,” he emphasized. “This clarification aims to set the record straight and address the misleading information circulated by the NDLEA.”

He also criticized the agency, saying, “It is an open secret that many criminals, cultists, armed robbers, and drug addicts find their way back into business after gratifying law enforcement officers. The NDLEA ought to search its house and fish out bad eggs rather than seeking cheap publicity!”