NDLEA Reciprocates Anambra Monarch’s Patriotism with Evil

BY NWEKE NWEKE, ONITSHA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) Anambra State Command under the sole command of Mr. Musbahu Idris, instead of reciprocating the patriotism shown to his office by His Majesty, Igwe Chidubem Iweka 111, (Eze Obosi), Eze na Ndi Ichie na Abummadu Obosi and the good people of Obosi community, the Palace wondered why the Commander should rush to the press to tanish the image of the Monarch, his kitchen cabinets and the Community, having tagged the palace of the Obosi kingdom as drug peddlers’ exhibits keeping point.

Reacting to the image damaging statement credited to NDLEA, Anambra State Command in several media house where they (NDLEA) said a cache of drugs was found during a raid on the palace of Eze Obosi, the Eze na Ndi Ichie na Abummadu Obosi community who spoke through their Palace Secretary, Igwebuike Shedrack Okenwa during a world press conference last Thursday (18/03/2021) made it clear that it was the traditional ruler that actually invited the NDLEA to come and take possession of drugs recovered by the Obosi vigilante operatives from one of the drugs barons in the town.

“The cache of drugs suspected to be cocaine and heroine recovered from a peddler was willingly handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) as part of our Monarch,Eze na Ndi Ichie na Abummadu Obosi community ‘s efforts to sanitise the  community of illicit drugs.

Describing it as most unfortunate that the good works of the Obosi people to assist the NDLEA in fighting hard drug dealers in Obosi Community has been turned into a show of shame, the Palace stated it without contradiction that the media statement by the NDLEA is not only false, shocking, embarrassing but defamatory.  

“The truth of the matter was that on February 17, 2021, Obosi Vigilante operatives were on regular patrol in the hard drug infested area of the town referred to as Ojunoh or Cocaine avenue when a young man upon sighting them, took to his heels”.

“The vigilantes chased and arrested him and found substances suspected to be hard drugs in his bag. They brought him to the palace of His Majesty, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, Eze Iweka III, (Eze Obosi). A video operator was summoned, who made a video coverage of the interrogation of the drug peddler, stating his name, the name of the drug baron who owned the drug and other pertinent information”.

“His Majesty, Eze Iweka III, personally contacted the Anambra State Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Musbahu Idris who promised to send NDLEA operatives to come and sign a document prepared by the palace and collect the substances confirmed to be cocaine and heroin by the drug peddler”.

“The Anambra NDLEA Commander, Idris who said he was ill at the time,  eventually sent a team, headed by an officer who Identified himself as Mr. Erhi, they arrived at the palace and picked up the said hard drug, signed a receipt and left. A video was shot of his visit with Cabinet Chiefs present”.

It is therefore most shocking, embarrassing and defamatory incident to witness the totally false and misleading articles in diverse print and electronic media, erroneously stating that the said cache’ of hard drugs was uncovered as a result of a raid on the palace of His Majesty by NDLEA officers”.

“It is most unfortunate that the good works of the Obosi people to assist the NDLEA has been turned into a show of shame. The Commander, Idris had shown immense gratitude in writing , for the recovery and handover of both illicit substances. His Majesty, in turn, had thanked and praised the relatively new Commander for his gratitude and pledged to assist in checkmating the profileration of hard drugs in Obosi”.

“It is worthy of note that the NDLEA under the leadership of the immediate past State Commander, Mr. Sule Momodu, formed such an efficient synergy with the Royal Cabinet of Eze Iweka III, which helped decimate the drug trade in Obosi and effected the arrests and convictions of drug barons”.

“It was as a result of his efforts in tackling hard drugs and other vices that the NDLEA wrote a special letter of appreciation to Eze Iweka III dated July 9th, 2013.

Calling on the hierarchy of NDLEA to retract the said false publication against the traditional ruler, his cabinet members and the entire Obosi Community, the  Eze Na Ndi Ichie Na Abummadu Obosi said the NDLEA must tender an unreserved apology in a press conference encompassing the major print and electronic media in the country, stressing that it is only such wide scope publicity on the subject matter that would be acceptable by the Eze Na Ndi Ichie Na Abummadu Obosi and the people of Obosi Kingdom who are agitating for justice.