NDLEA launches manhunt for Lekki drug dealer who knocked down an operative to escape arrest

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it had launched a manhunt for a Lekki-based notorious drug dealer, Sowunmi Ayodeji.

Sowunmi is said to be on the run after driving his luxury car to knock down an NDLEA officer in his bid to escape arrest when operatives were on a search of his house last weekend.

The spokesperson of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Wednesday said anti-narcotics officers of the agency had last Friday 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.

Babafemi said although Sowunmi was not in the house when operatives got into his compound, he however returned while a search of his apartment was ongoing, and 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.

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The spokesperson said that a thorough search of Sowunmi’s apartment however led to the recovery of 10.5 kilogrammes 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 on hospital admission for treatment.

Meanwhile, following the unpleasant development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed the deployment of appropriate operational assets of the agency to smoke out the wanted suspect from his hiding.

Marwa, according to the Spokesperson, also approved adequate medical care for the injured officer so that he can get back on his feet as soon as possible.