NDLEA Denies Extortion Allegation, Says It’s A Tissue of Lies

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Following a recent report in a national daily which alleged that the officers of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were engaged in extortion of money from passengers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, the agency on yesterday denied the report, describing it as a ‘tissue of lies’.
‎A statement issued in Abuja by the Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs‎, Mr. Jonah Achema, said the report was bereft of any integrity‎.

He noted that the campaign was orchestrated to preempt an ongoing investigation into the suspicious drug activities of these so-called officials, including those of cargo handling companies at the airport.

Achema added that several of such officers had been prosecuted and convicted in the past while some others are still being prosecuted by the agency on account of involvement in drug trafficking.
He stated: “the attention of (NDLEA) has been drawn to a publication in THISDAY casting aspersion on the integrity of the officers and men of command of the agency.”

“The report which itself is bereft of any integrity and smacking of inducement, has alleged that the staff of the agency are engaged in extortion of money from passengers, an allegation that the reporter attributed to the faceless officials of Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)
Achema argued that the agency should have been contacted ‎in order to cross check the facts before the report was published.

He noted that: “It is instructive to note that NDLEA does not man any “station” at the said airport alone. One is compelled to ask what the other agencies do when purportedly, NDLEA staff are involved in such despicable acts – helplessly looking – the other way or strictly confronting them (in which case evidence would abound).

“The report failed a simple credibility test in several respects and left so many avoidable gaps. For instance, who are these officials of FAAN? Can they be anonymous if they are speaking for the management of FAAN? Does the reporter know that all activities at the MMIA are captured by the Close Circuit Television gadget? Did he preview the CCTV to establish the alleged misconduct? Does he know that every officer serving at the MMIA has been properly vetted and has undergone an integrity test conducted by reputable international body? Does he know that the Agency works closely with its international collaborators even at the Airport?,” he queried.

Achema stressed that the report also claimed that the agency has no business at the Airport under the present Ease of Doing Business Executive Order, but argued that the NDLEA Act mandates it to have operational presence at all entry and exit points, MMIA inclusive.
“Within the last three months after the Executive Order, the NDLEA MMIA Command has made some remarkable seizures to the consternation of the reporter and his sponsors.

“The command has arrested 19 suspects and seized a total of 14.030 kilogrammes of controlled and prohibited drugs, which consists of 2.575 Kilogrammes of cocaine, 5.100 Kilogrammes of heroin, 6.615 Kilograms of methamphetamine, 73.440 kilogrammes of ephedrine, 66.300 Kilogrammes of cannabis sativa and three (3) abandoned seizures,” he said.
Achema however noted that the agency has never and would never shield any officer found wanting if there is any established evidence of misconduct against such an officer and not on account of idle allegations as in this case.
He also said the agency, no doubts, sees the media as a critical stakeholder in the efforts to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking networks and ultimately defeat the criminal drug entrepreneurs, adding that it is through a mutually reinforcing relationship between the agency and the media that this laudable goal can be achieved.