Nigerian senator admits NDLEA raided his house

“The entire house was searched," the senator's aide said.

The Kwara South Senator, Oyelola Ashiru, has confirmed that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) raided his Ilorin residence but insisted that the anti-drug agency did not find any hard drugs or other illicit substances in the process.

Mr Ashiru, the deputy senate leader, disclosed this in a statement by his legislative aide, Olaitan Adeyanju, on Monday.

The anti-drug agency had earlier on Monday claimed it found hard drugs and other illicit substances when it raided the Ilorin home of Mr Ashiru in February.

The agency was responding to Mr Ashiru’s claim that it was ineffective and had become compromised in its duty. The senator made the claim last week during the debate on the bill to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation.

Nothing incriminating was found.

In the statement, Mr Ashiru said the anti-drug agency searched his home, but nothing incriminating was found.

“The entire house was searched, and nothing incriminating was found. 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.

“It is also important to state that Senator Ashiru has not sent any aide to the NDLEA to influence the dropping of drug allegations against anyone known as Tosin Odepidian. Indeed, all the names mentioned by the agency are strange, and none works directly or indirectly with Senator Ashiru,” the statement added.

“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 aid bearing Ibrahim Mohammed and Mohammed Yahaya as bandied by NDLEA.”

Lawsuit

The senator urged the anti-drug agency to charge anyone found guilty of trading and consuming hard drugs to court rather than engaging in 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.

“This clarification aims to set the record straight and address the misleading information circulated by the NDLEA.

“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!

“Senator Ashiru remains committed to serving the people of Kwara South and upholding the truth at all times in the search for strict professionalism among our law enforcement agencies.”