Residents of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, were thrown into panic on Thursday as a clash erupted between operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and officers of the Ekeki Police Division during an attempt to arrest a suspected drug dealer.
The confrontation occurred at the Ekeki Police Division when NDLEA operatives arrived to apprehend a woman accused of drug peddling.
It was gathered that the NDLEA squad had officially recorded their operation in the police register before proceeding to the suspect’s location.
However, as the NDLEA team carried out their assignment, policemen from the Ekeki Division allegedly intervened, obstructing the operation.
This led to a heated altercation between the two security agencies.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots during the standoff, which caused panic among residents and passersby.
A resident of the area described the scene as chaotic, with people scrambling for safety as tensions escalated.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two vehicles belonging to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were seen with deflated tyres after being shot at during a confrontation with police officers.
The incident occurred as the NDLEA operatives attempted to arrest a suspect.
Speaking on the matter, NDLEA spokesman Mr. Howells Obah stated that the operatives followed standard procedures during the operation.
“Our officers carried out a raid near the Ekeki Police Division and properly documented their presence at the station, as required. However, the suspect, reportedly the wife of a police officer, appeared to be under police protection.”
“During the operation, two of our vehicles were shot at, and we are currently working to retrieve them while ensuring the situation does not escalate further,” Obah explained.
Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohammed, confirmed the incident, stating that he was on his way to the scene to gather more details.
“I am heading there now to find out what happened,” Mohammed said on the phone.
