NDLEA, journalist give accounts over alleged assault, mob assault in Calabar

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in Cross River State have been accused of assaulting a Radio Nigeria journalist, Prince Alobi.

The incident occurred throughout an operation alongside Lemna Road, Calabar, on Monday.

The company mentioned its personnel got here below assault from a mob on the scene.

Alobi, a broadcast journalist with Radio Nigeria’s Canaan City FM 99.5, mentioned he was assaulted after stepping out of his close by workplace to cowl the incident at Parliamentary Extension, close to Northwest Filling Station, at about 3pm.

According to him, he heard gunshots and went to analyze after informing his station that he meant to report the event.

He alleged that an NDLEA operative slapped him, inflicting him to lose consciousness.

“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 both,” he mentioned.

Alobi mentioned the alleged assault left him with extreme pains, notably round his ribs, and disrupted his work after his telephones have been broken. He referred to as for accountability over the incident.

However, the Officer-in-Charge of the NDLEA Dragon Squad in Cross River, Assistant Commander of Narcotics Kabiru Abdullahi, mentioned the operatives have been attacked by a mob whereas trying to arrest suspected drug sellers throughout a motorised stop-and-search patrol.

Abdullahi mentioned the group intercepted a bike carrying a person and two ladies and recovered a whitish substance suspected to be methamphetamine, popularly referred to as ice, from their belongings.

He alleged that three different males arrived and incited a crowd in opposition to the officers after the suspects resisted the search.

He mentioned the group attacked the operatives with sticks, stones and items of wooden, injuring some personnel and trying to free the suspects.

According to him, one officer was taken to hospital after being stoned, whereas the preliminary suspects escaped throughout the violence.

Abdullahi mentioned three individuals allegedly concerned in instigating the assault have been subsequently arrested.

The company, he mentioned, additionally recovered two grammes of suspected methamphetamine and one gramme of a substance suspected to be artificial cannabinoid, domestically referred to as Colorado, as displays.

When contacted, the NDLEA Cross River Command’s Public Relations Officer, Sebastian Lebo acknowledged the incident.

He mentioned the command was taking steps to deal with it.

He mentioned Alobi can be compensated and his broken telephones changed, including that an official assertion can be issued.