How Drugs, Other Illicit Substances Were Recovered From Sen. Lola Ashiru’s GRA Ilorin Home – NDLEA  * Lawmaker’s House Used As Dru Joint  * Aides Arrested With Methamphetamine, Cannabis 

By Omowumi Omotosho

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday made a shocking revelation linking Sen. Lola Ashiru with narcotic operations.

Ashiru, an architect, is the deputy majority leader in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. He is representing the kwara south senatorial district.

According to the Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig-General Mohammed Buba Marwa at a press briefing, Ashiru’s residence in Ilorin had been raided, and a consignment of drugs was seized.

Marwa, represented by, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi also revealed that three of Ashiru’s aides were arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced, with one aide imprisoned as recently as June this year.

Babafemi criticized the senator for his recent remark, stating, “the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency is corrupt and compromised…”

Last week, during a Senate plenary session, Ashiru had voiced his opinion that the NDLEA is “the most corrupt and compromised government agency in Nigeria.”

He made this statement while contributing to the debate on a bill seeking to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, arguing that the NDLEA had failed in its duties, justifying the need for a new drug-related agency.

He had said, “The failure of NDLEA has resulted in the high rate of drug trafficking going on in the country. The NDLEA is corrupt and compromised, hence, I support the creation of National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation.”

The NDLEA, however, responded by labeling the senator’s remarks as baseless, defamatory, and unflattering.

“While acknowledging the great work of the Senate towards the upliftment of Nigeria and Nigerians especially their support for the ongoing concerted efforts towards the amendment of the NDLEA Act, the Agency however said it is duty-bound to respond to the unprovoked attack against it by Senator Ashiru during his contribution to the debate on a new bill for an Act to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation on Tuesday, October 15, 2024,” he said.

Babafemi stated that the NDLEA had given the lawmaker a full week to clarify his stance on such serious accusations. However, since the senator failed to do so, the agency had no choice but to address the matter publicly, ensuring that other members of the Senate, their local and international partners, and the general public were aware of the true facts.

“The personal house of the senator (Ashiru ) in GRA Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, had been raided in recent past, where drugs and illicit substances were recovered while two of his aides: Ibrahim Mohammed and Muhammed Yahaya were arrested. Based on credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed that the senator’s house was being used as a drug joint for drug dealers and users, the house was raided by our operatives at 1:30pm on February 4, 2024 during which the two aides were arrested, while a third suspect escaped arrest.

“In another encounter with the senator, the agency also received intelligence that some of his boys popularly known as ‘Omo Senator’ operating from his home town, Offa, were equally dealing in illicit drugs. A raid was subsequently carried out on their joint in Offa where one of them, Oluwatosin Odepidan was arrested and illicit drugs such as methamphetamine and cannabis recovered from him on June 11, 2023.

“The bid to get the agency drop the case against Odepidan including a visit to the Kwara State Command headquarters of the agency in Ilorin by the Personal Assistant to the senator, one Omoluabi, was rebuffed as Odepidan was promptly charged to court and prosecuted.

“Though the culprit jumped court bail in 2023, he was rearrested in 2024 after the court issued a bench warrant for his arrest. He was eventually convicted and sentenced in June 2024.

“So, going by this backstory, it is deductible that these encounters that the agency has had with the senator, must have been responsible for his outburst, and unfortunately, false allegation, the type that nobody within and outside of government has ever levelled against NDLEA before,” he said.

The agency noted that, despite Senator Ashiru’s attempts to tarnish its reputation, the NDLEA has consistently garnered praise from both local and international organizations for its achievements in combating substance abuse and illegal drug trafficking.

He said, “Incidentally, the next day after Senator Ashiru made the statement, NDLEA in Lagos commissioned a new Marine Command Headquarters building donated by the Government of the UK. A similar facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport was donated last year by the same British government.

“We have had other facilities donated by United States INL and executed by UNODC in the past 12 months. We have been receiving various support from the governments of France, Germany and the US, among others.

“Suffice it to say that in the past three years, NDLEA has emerged as a regional leader among national drug law enforcement agencies. So, come to think about it, an agency so badmouthed by Senator Ashiru couldn’t have been attracting such international goodwill and commendation for being the ‘most corrupt government agency’ in Nigeria.

“Against the background of our encounter with people linked to him, we are wont to believe that Senator Ashiru’s invectives against NDLEA were borne out of vendetta and not any opinion made in the public interest.

“As an agency, we have been professional in our activities and interactions with citizens as we carry out arrests daily. In the past three years, we have made over 52, 000 arrests and got more than 9, 000 convictions, including three life sentences this year. And, as part of our mandate, we have engaged in over 7,000 awareness and sensitisation activities in schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities; treatment and rehabilitation of more than 33,000 drug users including the last two persons arrested in the senator’s house; supported by governments, organisations and other stakeholders in the country and around the world.

“Outside this country, NDLEA has become a reference for drug law enforcement. Therefore, the statement by Senator Ashiru, made in the country’s hallowed chamber in the course of a legislative debate, and made to justify the creation of another agency is motivated by malice; it is a gross misrepresentation of fact; and it is defamatory to the image of NDLEA.

“We believe the well-meaning public; our stakeholders and our partners can see through such calculated mendacity.” The NDLEA pledged that, despite Senator Ashiru’s criticism, it would not be discouraged and would continue its unwavering efforts to dismantle all illicit drug operations nationwide, including those linked to the senator’s residence.

“And we dare say that such will not deter us from our ongoing effort to dismantle all illicit drug networks including the one operating from the senator’s residence”, he said