Rivers LG chairman prevents NDLEA operatives from arresting drug offenders

By Brave Dickson

The operatives of the Rivers State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were said not to have been allowed by the Chairman of Eleme LGA, Hon Philip Okparaji to arrest methamphetamine drug sellers in the area.

The NDLEA operatives who stormed the area in a tip-off could not arrest those trading the prohibited methamphetamine due to resistance by the council chairman on the grounds that the drug enforcement agency did not obtain permission from him.

According to the state Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Emmanuel Ogbumgbada, NDLEA has reported the action of the LG chairman to Governor Nyesom Wike through writing to caution him.

He said: “On a tip-off, we drafted our men to go and arrest store sellers of prohibited methamphetamine in Eleme LGA but we were surprised that the council chairman resisted our men for not obtaining his permission.

“We decided not to apply the kind of force that would have made his resistance immaterial because we wanted to report his actions to Governor Wike first.

“We have written the governor on it because we will not tolerate anyone who tries to stop us from arresting drug dealers in any part of the state.”

Of recent, the state NDLEA had suspected the existence of methamphetamine factory in the state, following series of arrest on methamphetamine dealers and consumers.

The drug which is highly prohibited across the world and nation comes in whitish chunks Also called “ice” or “glass,”

It is a popular party drug that its users usually smoke with a small glass pipe, swallow, snort or inject into their vein.

Calls put across by our correspondent on the LG chairman for comments indicated number switched off.