Tragedy struck in Agboyi, Alapere area of Lagos State on Sunday when a 32-year-old graduate of Law, Dapo Olasore was allowed to drown to death by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, during a raid of the area.
The Punch reported that the incident happened on Sunday after the officials, who came in two vans without number plates, raided the area.
It was learnt that Olasore, also known as Omopo was about boarding a canoe to a neighbouring community when NDLEA operatives arrived the area, shooting sporadically into the air.
The deceased who was by the riverside, was said to have been held by the trousers by one of the opereatives and in an attempt to rescue himself from the grip of the officer fell into the water.
On seeing what happened, a boatman, who attempted to save Olasore was said to have been barred by the NDLEA men who pointed their gun at him leading to the death of the 32-year-old graduate.
Olasore, it was learnt was a graduate of a university in Ondo State and he joined the National Union of Road Transport Workers in 2014, after he could not get a job.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the NDLEA, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju said there was a raid on the community but denied knowledge that anybody was drowned.
“The NDLEA went in search of a notorious drug dealer, named Saheed, following a tipoff on his activities, which has constituted nuisance to people in that neighbourhood.
“Unfortunately, we did not find him as of the time of getting to the place. One Babalola was arrested and he was found with 1.3 kilogrammes of cannabis. During the operation, some people escaped through the river because they knew their activities contravened the NDLEA Act. But we are not aware anybody drowned,” Ofoyeju said.
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