Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
A lawyer simply identified as one Mrs Adaobi, was arrested when a joint team of the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA; and the state Homeland Security, raided some bad spots in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
The raid, according to the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Homeland Security, Mr Chukwunenye Alajemba, was conducted Wednesday midnight through Thursday morning.
The SSA who briefed the press Thursday at the Government House Umuahia, said the suspect’s house located at Arochukwu by Calabar Street Umuahia was raided and large quantities of illicit drugs seized.
The SSA who was flanked by the Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu; and the State Commandant of NDLEA, Mr Amos Adelanwa, said that another notorious hard drug joint known as Down Below was also invaded.
He put the total number of arrested suspects arrested during the raids at five comprising two males and three females.
“On February 14, before midnight, the Office of the Homeland Security, in collaboration with NDLEA personnel, conducted a successful joint operation on the premises of Adaobi at Arochukwu Street Umuahia.”
He identified hard drugs seized during the raid to include: 321 sachets (500 grams) of dry weed; 314 wraps (400 grams) of loud; 105 grams of cocaine; 37.8 grams of heroin; and 129 grams of nkpuri mmiri, all totalling about 1.217 kilograms of hard substances .
The SSA who said that the State Government had declared war against every form of illegal drugs, advised parents to caution their children and wards against the use of narcotics.
He blamed rise in crime wave on hard drugs, vowing that those engaging in the illicit business will be severely dealt with.
Adding his voice, the Deputy Governor, said that the raid was in line with the vow by the Governor Alex Otti-led administration to rid Abia State of every form of criminality.
Emetu noted with delight that the war against criminality in the state was already yielding fruits following the successful sanitisation of the Lokpa axis which had hitherto been a flash point for kidnappers.
“We have controlled kidnapping activities which were perpetrated around Lokpa area.”
He declared Abia unsafe for criminals, and warned drug peddlers to stay away from the state or brace up for the hard consequences.
“Abia is not a safe place for any criminal. If you are a drug kingpin, stay away from Abia. We don’t need you. You are not part of the development of Abia State. Drugs can’t develop the state.
“Those selling drugs in our local governments, time to leave Abia is now because if we come for you, nobody will be able to save you.”
The Deputy Governor said that the State Government would not spare anyone caught engaging in criminal activities in the state.
