Anger as stray bullets from operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, reportedly killed two persons including Gafar Yusuf, in the Idioro area of Mushin, Lagos State.
It was gathered that the NDLEA agents stormed the neighborhood around 10pm on Wednesday to raid a drug den, as they attempted to accomplish their goal, they started shooting sporadically.
A resident who gave his name simply as Olasunkanmi slammed the operatives for shooting sporadically in a residential area, noting that the bullets hit Yusuf’s head and a yet-to-be-identified victim’s chest.
He added that the victims died on the spot.
Olasunkanmi said, “We are not saying the NDLEA should not do their job, but why will its operatives be shooting anyhow in a residential area? The NDLEA operatives invaded a drug den in the community around 10pm and started seizing illicit drugs which is OK.
“The operatives were about 50 in number and most of them were armed. While some wore the official uniform, others were dressed in casual wear. The people dealing in the drug business were enraged by the raid and started threatening to make trouble.
But the NDLEA operatives started shooting to have their way and stray bullets hit two young boys in the head and chest. Both of them died on the spot. The name of one of the victims is Gafar Yusuf. After killing them, the NDLEA operatives attempted to take their corpses away but people in the area resisted.”
Another resident, identified simply as Lukmon, said: “We are tired of the NDLEA’s issue in our neighbourhood. Why will they be shooting carelessly in a residential neighbourhood? If they want to work, it is expected that they would have a target and they should have a plan for how they will arrest the target instead of shooting carelessly to the point of killing two innocent persons.
“It is uncalled for; they suddenly stormed the area with guns and started shooting. Gafar Yusuf, 22, was killed on Imoru Street. We are already making arrangements to bury his corpse. We heard three people were killed during the raid but what I can confirm to you for now is the death of two persons.
Yusuf’s mother called me yesterday that a bullet had hit him and that he was running errands when he got struck down by the bullets fired by the NDLEA operatives.”
