The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched a manhunt for a suspected Lekki-based notorious drug dealer, Sowunmi Ayodeji Kayode.

The agency said that Kayode was now on the run after driving his luxury car to knock down an NDLEA officer in his bid to escape arrest when operatives were on a search of his house last weekend.

The director, media and advocacy, NDLEA headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Wednesday, August 23.

Babafemi said that the anti-narcotics officers of the Agency had on Friday, August 18, stormed the residence of the wanted drug dealer located at 2/3 Adetola Ayeni close, Lekki, Lagos for a search and possible arrest, following credible intelligence that he was dealing in illicit drugs in his house. 

He said that although the suspect was not in the house when operatives got into his compound, he, however, returned while a search of his apartment was ongoing. 

According to the statement, “in a dramatic twist, as soon as he drove into the premises and sighted NDLEA officers, he engaged his car in reverse gear, knocked down one of the officers and pulled down his gate before plunging the vehicle into the fence of the opposite compound.”

Babafemi said the force of his car’s speed also pulled down the concrete wall of his neighbour’s compound and from there he dived out of the vehicle to escape.

The statement read: “A thorough search of his apartment however led to the recovery of 10.5 kilograms of Loud, while the operative knocked down suffered multiple injuries all over his body and compound fracture on his two legs, for which he is currently on hospital admission for treatment.

“Following the unpleasant development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed the deployment of appropriate operational assets of the Agency to smoke out the wanted suspect from his hiding.

He also approved adequate medical care for the injured officer so that he can get back on his feet as soon as possible.”

PUNCH