The Nigerian Senate has formally invited the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to provide explanations concerning the allegations made against the Deputy Senate Leader, Oyelola Ashiru. These allegations have created a significant stir within the political sphere, and the Senate is keen to address the matter. To ensure transparency and fairness, the Senate has also established an Ad Hoc Committee tasked with investigating the situation in detail and reporting their findings within one week.
This decision was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio after a closed-door session held on Tuesday. During this session, the Senate deliberated on the recent accusations, and the subsequent actions of the NDLEA in relation to Senator Ashiru, sparking concern amongst lawmakers. Akpabio pointed out that the timing of the NDLEA's actions seemed suspicious, given that the agency only raised drug-related allegations against Ashiru after the Senator had brought up corruption issues within the NDLEA during a Senate floor debate. He suggested that this sequence of events raised questions about the NDLEA's motives and actions.
The Senate President further emphasized the importance of protecting the integrity of Senate proceedings, noting that statements made by senators during plenary are covered by legislative immunity and should not be subject to external debate or retaliation. He reiterated the Senate’s confidence in Senator Ashiru, describing him as a respectable and upstanding individual, someone who does not even partake in alcohol, and certainly not involved in the illicit drug trade. Akpabio made it clear that the Senate must take this matter seriously, stating that an attack on one senator is an attack on all, and the NDLEA must be called to order in this regard.
These resolutions followed a point of order raised by Senator Ashiru during the day’s plenary, where he moved a motion of urgent national importance. Citing Orders 9, 10, 41, and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, Ashiru called attention to the allegations made against him and the actions of the NDLEA, requesting the intervention of the Senate to address the matter swiftly.
It is worth noting that Gistreel recalls that just last Wednesday, Senator Ashiru, during a debate in the Senate on a Bill aimed at establishing a National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, had accused the “NDLEA of being corrupt and already compromised.” These strong allegations appear to have ignited a heated confrontation between the senator and the agency, culminating in the NDLEA’s recent accusations against him.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, the NDLEA, on Monday, claimed that it had recovered illicit drugs from the personal residence of Senator Ashiru, a discovery that the agency has linked to the senator’s recent criticisms. The NDLEA suggested that Ashiru’s accusations of corruption within the agency were driven by personal vendetta rather than genuine concern for the country’s drug policies and enforcement efforts.
The NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd), through his representative, the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, firmly countered Ashiru’s allegations. He argued that the senator’s recent remarks were not motivated by any sense of duty or altruism but were instead a calculated attempt to divert attention from the NDLEA’s findings. Marwa reassured the public that the agency remains committed to dismantling illicit drug networks and would continue its operations, including those allegedly connected to the senator’s property.
In response, Senator Ashiru, through a statement issued by his special assistant, Olaitan Adeyanju, challenged the NDLEA to take immediate legal action against the individuals purportedly found at his residence. Ashiru maintained that the NDLEA’s accusations were nothing more than a retaliatory move following his exposure of the corruption within the agency. He called on the agency to bring the culprits to justice if there was any truth to their claims, reinforcing his stance that his actions were solely in the interest of the public and the integrity of Nigeria’s anti-drug laws.