Three injured as NDLEA officers clash with armed hoodlums in Edo forest

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported that its operatives successfully repelled an armed attack by hoodlums in Opuje, Edo State, as they attempted to access forest warehouses storing psychoactive substances. The agency shared this information through a statement signed by Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy, posted on the agency’s official account on Thursday.

This incident echoes a previous attack 11 months ago, where NDLEA officers were ambushed during an operation, resulting in the apprehension of suspects. Opuje has gained notoriety for extensive cannabis cultivation, prompting drug cartels to heavily invest in safeguarding their warehouses.

The statement explained, “Acting on credible intelligence that the drug cartels had once again stocked their warehouses in the forest for the distribution of psychoactive substances ahead of the yuletide season, NDLEA officers were mobilized to penetrate the Edo forests and disrupt the distribution by destroying the warehouses. In Ujiogba forest in Esan West LGA last weekend, some warehouses containing about 6,000kgs of cannabis were successfully dismantled.”

“However, in the early hours of Monday, 4th December, when the NDLEA teams approached the Opuje forest, armed hoodlums, having blocked all access roads in the community, attacked them with gunfire. After over two hours of intense gunfight, the NDLEA operatives managed to exit the area. Unfortunately, three officers were injured in the attack, with one sustaining a headshot. Some vehicles used in the operation were also riddled with bullets. The injured officers received prompt medical attention, with one undergoing major surgery on Wednesday, 6th December, to remove bullets from his brain.”