After attack, we lack capacity to handle drug trafficking – NDLEA

The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)  said it lacked the capacity to respond to the rising drug abuse and trafficking in the state after hoodlums attacked its operational base during EndSARS protest.

The state commander, Buba Wakawa, represented by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ofoyeju Mitchell, stated this  in Benin while appearing before the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of SARS and related abuses.

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According to him, since the destruction, NDLEA operatives have not been able to efficiently handle cases of drug abuse and trafficking within the state.

He said, “We are here today to present our case before the panel because we are victims of #EndSARS protest. Our office was destroyed, we lost over 90 vehicles, drug exhibits, vehicular exhibits, our legal records, internet facilities, and the state command building was razed. We lost virtually everything.

“We lost four unserviceable arms because we were able to relocate our armoury to safety given the situation of the country as at that time.”

He said the command needed another operational base to be able to respond to the growing drug abuse and trafficking in the state.

The commander explained that the command had been inundated with reports of drug trafficking and abuse but has no operational base to respond to the calls. He added that the current counseling and rehabilitation programme was abruptly terminated.  He, however, said the state government had promised to provide a temporary operational base for the command.