19th June, 2012
A passenger was shot on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti as NDLEA operatives raided a motor park at Ajilosun area of the Ekiti capital to fish out drug users.
The incident occurred at the motor park under the auspices of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria.
The NDLEA operatives, who were said to be in search of consumers of Indian hemp, shot sporadically into the air.
This was said to have led to a stampede, resulting in a stray bullet hitting the victim. Some of the drivers at the park were said to have resisted the manner in which the NDLEA operatives carried out the exercise.
The development led to a traffic snarl on the Ado-Akure highway, forcing commuters to make several detours.
The NURTW Chairman in the state, Mr Julius Jegede, told newsmen that the resistance by his members was to protest the manner the NDLEA officials conducted themselves and not because they were drug users.
He, however, appealed to his members to embrace peace and go about their normal businesses.
The spokesman of the State Police Command, Mr Victor Babayemi, confirmed the incident.
He said the victim, an intending passenger, was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Babayemi debunked the rumours making the rounds that the victim was dead, adding that his men had already restored order in the area.
“ We learnt that one person, who was an intending passenger, was shot at the park.
“ Nobody died during the raid conducted by NDLEA,’’ he said.