The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says that it has launched a manhunt for a notorious drug leader, Sowunmi Ayodeji Kayode, who crushed an operative of the agency while attempting to evade arrest.
The suspect whose house in the Lekki area of Lagos State was undergoing a search last weekend following credible intelligence of illicit drug dealings, knocked down one of the NDLEA officers, pulled down his gate before plunging the vehicle into the fence of the opposite compound while trying to escape.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued by NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, who confirmed that a thorough search of his apartment led to the recovery of 10.5 kilograms of Loud.
Babafemi said the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Buba Marwa, has ordered the deployment of appropriate operational assets of the agency to smoke out the wanted suspect from his hiding.
Notorious drug dealer on the run
- The statement from the NDLEA Spokesman reads, ‘’The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has launched a manhunt for a Lekki Lagos-based notorious drug dealer, Sowunmi Ayodeji Kayode, who is now on the run after driving his luxury car to crush an NDLEA officer in his bid to escape arrest when operatives were on a search of his house last weekend.
- ‘’Anti-narcotics officers of the Agency had on Friday 18th August stormed the residence of the wanted drug dealer located at 2/3 Adetola Ayeni close, Lekki, Lagos for a search and possible arrest following credible intelligence that he was dealing in illicit drugs in his house.
- Although he was not in the house when operatives got into his compound, he returned while a search of his apartment was ongoing.”
Knocks down NDLEA officer
- He added, ‘’In a dramatic twist, as soon as he drove into the premises and sighted NDLEA officers, he engaged his car in reverse gear, knocked down one of the officers, pulled down his gate before plunging the vehicle into the fence of the opposite compound.
- “The force of his car’s speed also pulled down the concrete wall of his neighbour’s compound and from there he dived out of the vehicle to escape.
- ‘’A thorough search of his apartment however led to the recovery of 10.5 kilograms of Loud, while the operative knocked down suffered multiple injuries all over his body and compound fracture on his two legs, for which he is currently on hospital admission for treatment.
- ‘’Following the unpleasant development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed the deployment of appropriate operational assets of the Agency to smoke out the wanted suspect from his hiding. He also approved adequate medical care for the injured officer so that he can get back on his feet as soon as possible.’’
