NDLEA, journalist give accounts over alleged assault, mob attack in Calabar
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Cross River State are facing allegations of assaulting a journalist from Radio Nigeria, Prince Alobi, during an operation in Calabar on Monday.
The confrontation occurred on Lemna Road around 3 p.m. Alobi, a broadcast journalist for Canaan City FM 99.5, reported that he left his office to cover the incident near the Northwest Filling Station after hearing gunfire. He informed his station of his intention to document the unfolding situation.
According to Alobi, an NDLEA operative struck him, rendering him unconscious. “I was screaming, ‘I am a press man,’ but the beating continued. I was bundled and thrown into the trunk of their Hilux, while they collected my iPhones and smashed them,” he stated. The journalist reported experiencing significant pain, particularly in his ribs, and noted that the destruction of his phones has interrupted his work. He is calling for accountability regarding the incident.
In response to the claims, Assistant Commander of Narcotics Kabiru Abdullahi, the Officer-in-Charge of the NDLEA Dragon Squad in Cross River, stated that their personnel were assaulted by a mob while attempting to apprehend suspected drug dealers. Abdullahi explained that the NDLEA team had stopped a motorcycle carrying a male suspect and two females, from whom they recovered a whitish substance believed to be methamphetamine.
He alleged that other individuals arrived and incited nearby residents to attack the NDLEA operatives after the suspects resisted the search. The crowd, armed with sticks and stones, reportedly injured some officers during the chaos while attempting to free the suspects. Abdullahi confirmed that one officer was hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the melee and that the initial suspects managed to escape.
Following the incident, three individuals believed to have instigated the crowd were arrested. The NDLEA also seized two grams of suspected methamphetamine and one gram of a substance thought to be synthetic cannabinoid, commonly referred to as Colorado.
Sebastian Lebo, the Public Relations Officer for the NDLEA Cross River Command, acknowledged the incident when contacted. He stated that the command is taking measures to address the matter and confirmed that Alobi would receive compensation for his damaged phones. Lebo indicated that an official statement would be forthcoming.
