NDLEA officer’s death: Ukwuani council lacks power to form drug squad — Ajede

The Chairman of Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, Possible Ajede, has said the council lacks the constitutional mandate to establish an independent security outfit for combating drug abuse, stressing that its role is to support established security agencies in enforcing the law.

Ajede, who spoke in an interview with Vanguard, said the council had been providing intelligence, logistics and community-based advocacy to support the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies in tackling drug abuse and criminal activities in the area.

His comments followed the death of an NDLEA officer who reportedly drowned while pursuing a suspected drug offender into a river in Obiaruku, Ukwuani Local Government Area, as previously reported by Vanguard.

The incident sparked reactions on social media, with concerns over drug abuse among youths and the activities of security operatives in the community.

Responding to questions on whether the incident exposed a failure of security enforcement by the council, Ajede said responsibility for enforcing drug laws rested primarily with the NDLEA, while the local government provided support.

He said: “The NDLEA’s primary duty is to try to eradicate or contain those who are abusing substances and drugs within the domain where they are operating.

“As a local government, a responsible government, we have also gone ahead to lend our support to these agencies operating under our watch.”

Ajede said the council had established joint security committees comprising the police, NDLEA and other security agencies, alongside community representatives, to coordinate efforts and develop strategies for tackling drug abuse and related criminal activities across the area.

He added that the council had inaugurated advocacy groups to sensitise residents, particularly youths, on the dangers of substance abuse.

According to him, the council had also partnered with rehabilitation centres outside the local government area to assist persons battling drug addiction, while efforts were ongoing to establish a rehabilitation facility within Ukwuani.

Ajede said the council had strengthened community vigilante groups and supported anti-cultism groups, stressing that they operated in collaboration with the police.

“The local government does not have the constitutional mandate to set up a security outfit. So, we have engineered our vigilante and positioned them to work day and night to support the NDLEA, the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Army in fighting crime and drug abuse in the local government,” he said.

NDLEA arrests

On reports that NDLEA operatives were indiscriminately arresting youths in Obiaruku following the officer’s death, Ajede said the council intervened to secure the release of several persons arrested during an operation.

He explained that the agency had acted on intelligence to identify a suspect allegedly connected with the incident, but that several other persons were arrested during the operation.

According to him, the council immediately contacted the NDLEA commander, while the Area Commander and the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations also intervened.

“When they went for the raid, they arrested almost everybody they saw in that particular location.

“When we immediately learnt of it, we were able to intervene. We spoke to the commander, and with the intervention of the Area Commander and the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, they acted based on the information we gave them,” he said.

Ajede said those arrested had since been released, except the principal suspect, who remained in custody over the alleged offence.

He dismissed reports of indiscriminate arrests and harassment of residents, saying security agencies in the area had been urged to observe due process in carrying out their duties.

“The area is calm. Nobody is coming to the local government to arrest anybody. We have consistently held our security committee meetings and put the security personnel in check to ensure they follow due process in the discharge of their duties,” he said.

The chairman, however, urged youths in the area to shun drug abuse, warning that prolonged substance abuse could have serious consequences for their health and wellbeing.

He said the council would sustain its advocacy and collaboration with security agencies to prevent drug abuse and its associated social problems in Ukwuani.