The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said drugs were found in the home of Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru (APC Kwara South) who recently accused the agency of corruption and complicit in the escalating narcotics trade in the country.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi made this disclosure Monday during a media briefing he held on behalf of the agency’s chairman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa. He stated that three of Senator Asiru’s assistants have been arrested, prosecuted and sentenced this year.
Last week during a Senate session, Mr. Ashiru while contributing to a debate ‘Bill for an Act to establish National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation’ accused the NDLEA of corrupt acts and undermining the war against illicit drugs in the country.
“The failure of NDLEA has resulted in the high rate of drug trafficking going on in the country. The NDLEA is corrupt and compromised, hence, I support the creation of National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation,” Ashiru said on the floor of the senate.
But Mr. Babafemi noted that Senator Ashiru who is deputy majority leader of the Senate was being hypocritical, uncomplimentary and defamed the agency with unfounded allegations, stressing that rather Senator Ashiru is an active participant in the illicit drug trade.
“The personal house of the senator (Ashiru) in GRA Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, had been raided in recent past, where drugs and illicit substances were recovered while two of his aides: Ibrahim Mohammed and Muhammed Yahaya were arrested.
“Based on credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed that the senator’s house was being used as a drug joint for drug dealers and users, the house was raided by our operatives at 1:30pm on February 4, 2024, during which the two aides were arrested, while a third suspect escaped arrest.
“In another encounter with the senator, the agency also received intelligence that some of his boys popularly known as ‘Omo Senator’ operating from his hometown, Offa, were equally dealing in illicit drugs. A raid was subsequently carried out on their joint in Offa where one of them, Oluwatosin Odepidan was arrested and illicit drugs such as methamphetamine and cannabis recovered from him on June 11, 2023.
“The bid to get the agency drop the case against Odepidan including a visit to the Kwara State Command headquarters of the agency in Ilorin by the Personal Assistant to the senator, one Omoluabi, was rebuffed as Odepidan was promptly charged to court and prosecuted.
“Though the culprit jumped court bail in 2023, he was rearrested in 2024 after the court issued a bench warrant for his arrest. He was eventually convicted and sentenced in June 2024.
“So, going by this backstory, it is deductible that these encounters that the agency has had with the senator, must have been responsible for his outburst, and unfortunately, false allegation, the type that nobody within and outside of government has ever levelled against NDLEA before,” he said.
