ARMY INVESTIGATES ALLEGED MILTARY COVERING OF DRUG PEDDLERS IN LAGOS
Read Time:3 Minute, 0 Second
The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army announced on Sunday that it will look into claims that some military officers are protecting drug dealers in the Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.
This came after the chairman of the LCDA, Jimoh Saliu, accused certain high–ranking military officials of helping illicit drug sellers in the area.
In a statement on Sunday, Saliu said that a place called Gidan Drama in the Marine Beach community of Apapa, which is close to the Tego Army Barracks, is a center for illegal drug activities.
He described the area as a base for dangerous criminals and said that various illegal activities, such as selling drugs and stolen items, are happening there.
At an event celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Corona Schools Trust Council at St Theresa Nursery and Primary School in Marine Beach, Saliu called on the state government and good–hearted organizations to take over the area so a secondary school can be built there.
“The security situation in the LCDA is so bad and porous that even here in Marine Beach, there is a place called Gidan Drama, which is a nightmare to our existence.
“The whole area has been troubled by these bad boys, and I have been working with the police to track them down. If you go there now, you will find top military and police officers making it difficult to arrest drug peddlers and other criminal elements operating in the area.
“When they commit any criminal act, they run into the place, and when you get there, they are protected and arrest is prevented.
With this situation, the future of our children is uncertain. We have many millionaires and billionaires in this community, yet none is investing in its future or development. If you go to Gidan Drama at night, you will see people bringing out bales of naira to buy all sorts of illicit drugs. If any local government official goes there, they are threatened or arrested.
“I recall that three staff members of the Apapa-Iganmu LCDA were arrested two weeks ago and taken to the Naval Dockyard. I had to contact the commander to explain that they were on an intelligence visit to Gidan Drama before they were released,” he said.
Saliu praised the Corona Schools Trust Council for its effort to invest in education and the future of children.
READ MORE…
INSECURITY: APC CHIEFTAIN CALLS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF MILITARY BASE IN OYO
When asked about the claims made by the council chairman, the spokesperson for the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt Col Musa Yahaya, said the chairman should be more clear about which part of the military he was talking about, so that the investigation can proceed.
“When you say ‘military,’ you are referring to the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The military is a very large organisation.
“I speak for the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army. Issues like this require investigation before any response. I cannot speak on it for now, but I will make inquiries,” he told The PUNCH in a telephone interview on Sunday.
At the event, Adedoyin Adesina, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corona Schools Trust Council, said the organization has been focused on helping children who aren’t in school for a long time. She shared that 75 kids have been sent to school in the Ago-Egan area of Bariga LCDA in the past three years. She also mentioned that this program will be started again in Gangare and Apapa-Iganmu LCDA.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0