A National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officer has been hospitalised after a mob attacked operatives during a drug raid in the Lemna area of Cross River State, while three people have been arrested over the incident.
The NDLEA also recovered two grammes of methamphetamine, popularly known as Ice, and one gramme of synthetic cannabis, commonly called Colorado, during the operation.
Assistant Commander of Narcotics in the Cross River State Command, Kabiru Abdullahi, disclosed this on Tuesday in Calabar, saying the incident occurred on Monday at about 2pm.
Abdullahi said he was leading a team on motorised patrol in the Lemna area when officers stopped a motorcycle carrying three people — a man and two women — for a search.
He said the operatives identified themselves and recovered a whitish substance suspected to be methamphetamine from a nylon bag after the occupants initially resisted the search.
According to him, three other people arrived shortly afterwards, challenged the officers and urged a crowd to prevent the suspects from being taken away.
The crowd allegedly attacked the operatives with sticks, stones and pieces of wood, dragging and slapping some of them and freeing the initial suspects.
“They dragged my driver. They were dragging him, slapping. One carried a wood. Gave another officer dirty slaps. Another one, stones. That one is in the hospital now,” Abdullahi said.
He added that the officers were in uniform and had identified themselves as NDLEA personnel during the confrontation.
Abdullahi said reinforcements from the state command helped prevent the mob from lynching the team.
The three people accused of instigating the attack were subsequently arrested, while the drugs were retained as exhibits.
He said investigations were ongoing and the suspects would be charged to court.
Discussion0