PUNCH
Metro learnt that the incident happened
on Sunday after the officials, who came in two vans without number plates,
raided the area.
Our
correspondent gathered that Olasore, aka Omopo, was about boarding a
canoe to a neighbouring community to see a relative, when the officials stormed
the community.
They
were said to have shot sporadically into the air, sending frightened residents
fleeing in different directions.
However,
Olasore, who was by the riverside, was said to have been held by the trousers
by the NDLEA men; and in a bid to free himself, fell into the water.
A
boatman, who attempted to save him, was said to have been threatened with guns,
leading to the death of the victim.
When
our correspondent visited the community, he observed a crowd of residents and
motorcyclists in the area, who had got wind of the news, at the riverside.
It
was learnt that the victim, who graduated from a university in Ondo State,
joined the National Union of Road Transport Workers in 2014, after he could not
get a job.
His
family was said to be resident in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
A
witness and friend of the victim, Tosin Oshin, said the NDLEA officials arrived
around 10.45am.
He
said, “It happened around 10.45am. We suddenly saw two white vehicles in our
community. They began shooting into the air and everybody started running helter-skelter.
“They
went to the riverside, where Omopo (Olasore) was about boarding a canoe.
As Omopo saw one of them, he wanted to run like other people, but the
officers held him. In the struggle to free himself, he fell into the river.
“A
boat operator, who was about to rescue him, was threatened with guns. Omopo raised
his hand and asked for help, but they didn’t help him.”
Oshin
said immediately the incident happened, the officials fled the community with
two suspects.
The
boat operator, Dayo Seun, said before the victim finally drowned, he made an
attempt to rescue him, but the officials prevented him.
He
said, “I was on the other side of the river when I saw the man fall inside the
river. I quickly paddled my canoe to the place he fell into to rescue him, but
they pointed their guns at me, and asked me to go back.”
A
resident, Omolara Adekunle, said the anti-narcotics officials were always
harassing residents, adding that after making arrests, they usually collected
about N40,000 for bail.
“It
is not only the NDLEA that come here to conduct this illegal raid. The police
too are complicit; they have no fear of God.
“Those
they arrest, they collect between N40, 000 to N45,000 from their relatives
before they release them.”
Another
resident, Ayeni Oluwatoyin, told our correspondent that one of the suspects
arrested, one Sunday Babalola, was planning his graduation as a qualified
mechanic for August 26.
Oluwatoyin,
who showed our correspondent a vest the suspect had distributed to his friends
for the celebration, said Babalola was giving out the vests when he was
arrested.
“After
collecting the vests from him, they (NDLEA men) grabbed him by the neck and hit
him. The boy begged them, but they did not let him go,” she said.
A
resident said the community would hold a procession for the victim, after his
remains had been found.
“By
Tuesday, his body should float. We will hold a candlelight procession for him
on Friday,” she said.
The
NDLEA spokesperson, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, confirmed that there was a raid on
the community by the agency, but denied knowledge that anybody was drowned.
He
said, “The NDLEA went in search of a notorious drug dealer, named Saheed,
following an information on his activities, which has constituted nuisance to
people in that neighbourhood.
“Unfortunately,
we did not find him as of the time of getting to the place. One Babalola was
arrested and he was found with 1.3 kilogrammes of cannabis. During the
operation, some people escaped through the river because they knew their
activities contravened the NDLEA Act. But we are not aware anybody drowned.”
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