October 28, (THEWILL) — Tension has gripped parts of Edo State following an ambush on a joint security team comprising operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Army by suspected drug traffickers in Okpuje, Owan West Local Government Area.
The joint team was reportedly on a mission to destroy large cannabis plantations in the area when the suspects opened fire from concealed positions, sparking a fierce gun duel that left one NDLEA officer injured.
Confirming the incident, NDLEA State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, described the attack as a deliberate attempt to intimidate and derail the agency’s ongoing operations against illicit drug cultivation and trafficking in the state.
He said the injured officer sustained a wound from a sharp object during the confrontation but had since been treated and discharged.
“The attack was clearly a calculated effort to discourage our enforcement drive in Edo State,” Ofoyeju said. “However, we will not be intimidated. Our resolve to rid the state of narcotics remains unshaken.”
He lamented that armed resistance from drug cartels had become a recurring challenge in certain parts of Edo, where criminal gangs allegedly receive protection from local sympathisers.
According to him, the NDLEA, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies, would continue its operations across the state despite the setback.
“This is only a temporary challenge. We will return stronger and more determined to ensure that no part of this state remains a haven for drug traffickers,” he said.
Okpuje, a community notorious for large-scale cannabis cultivation, has long posed a major challenge to security operatives.
Residents have appealed for increased government presence and protection, expressing fears of possible reprisal attacks from the syndicate against those suspected of aiding law enforcement.
Local sources also urged authorities to deploy more troops to the surrounding forest areas, where traffickers are believed to operate freely.
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