The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said on Friday that it arrested 59 suspected drug dealers in Sokoto, plus the alleged mastermind of the killing of its operative.

The NDLEA commander in the state, Muhammad Iro, disclosed that the suspect, whose identity was not given, was earlier arrested in January at Bagarawa Village in Bodinga Local Government Area.

“In the process, the suspect alerted villagers who assisted him to escape arrest, leading to an attack on our personnel and the brutal killing of one of them,” he said.

Mr Iro expressed frustration at the lack of community support for the agency and emphasised the need for the public to be aware of its responsibilities.

“A drug dealer, who is destroying your children’s future, and instead of assisting us in effecting his arrest, you came out to attack us.

“However, after forcibly releasing him, you go ahead to kill one of our officers,” the commander said.

He said the arrested suspect had been on the wanted list of both the NDLEA and Nigerian police.

Mr Iro gave assurance that the suspect would face the full force of the law and that investigations would be conducted to identify his accomplices.

“We are committed to ensuring that the suspect faces the full force of the law, including those responsible for the brutal killing of our officer,” he said.

The commander attributed the arrest of the 59 other suspects to the efforts of a joint operation involving the Police, Army, Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies in the state.

“This operation aligns with Gov. Ahmed Aliyu’s commitment to reversing the security situation in the state.

“We have made significant strides, arresting 54 males and five females at various drug joints in the Sokoto metropolis,” Mr Iro said.

According to him, the suspects will undergo investigation to identify dealers for prosecution, users for counselling and those not involved in drug activities will be warned against frequenting such locations.

He underscored the severity of the drug abuse menace and its connection with security challenges.

Mr Iro said the agency would continue to rid society of crime and raise public awareness about its dangers.

“We believe that by addressing drug abuse, we can significantly reduce criminal activities and social vices in society.

“Our commitment to combating drug merchants and users remains sacrosanct as we work towards a society free from drug-related crimes,” he said.

(NAN)