LAGOS — The notorious drug haven of Akala in Mushin area was hot on Saturday night, January 8th 2014, as some hoodlums launched an attack on a combined team of National Drug Law Enforcement, NDLEA, and some soldiers who had come to raid their hideout.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the some of the hoodlums were also armed with guns, with which they fired first at the NDLEA officeials and soldiers.
Four persons were reportedly gunned down in the ensuing shootout, while some NDLEA officials sustained severe injuries.
It was gathered that the NDLEA operatives and some soldiers, stormed Akala, a notorious hideout for criminals in Lagos and attempted to arrest some drug barons, peddlers and users, operating in the area. But they met stiff resistance from some hoodlums who attacked them with bottles and other dangerous weapons.
The NDLEA Lagos Commander, Mr Sule Aliyu, is reported to have said that the operation was successful in spite of the resistance from drug barons.
“A combined team of NDLEA and army officers participated in the operation. It was a very successful raid because bags of cannabis weighing 541.9kg and 32 pinches of heroin were recovered”.
“During the operation, there was an attack on the officers by a large number of hoodlums who threw bottles and stones at the officers. The road was also barricaded but the officers shot into the air to disperse the crowd.”
Sule also added that two officers who sustained injury had been treated.
A statement by the NDLEA, said four other hoodlums were arrested by its operatives, while cannabis weighing 541.9kg and 32 pinches of substance that tested positive for heroine were recovered.
The statement signed by the agency’s spokesperson, Mitchell Ofoyeju, did not disclose the number of persons killed in the encounter, but said: “A combined team of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and army officers at the weekend met with stiff resistance from hoodlums at the notorious Akala, Mushin area of Lagos dur
