The Nigerian Senate has summoned the Chairman of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), General Buba Marwa, to appear before it regarding allegations against Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Ashiru (APC, Kwara South).
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the anti-narcotics agency had claimed that it found individuals with drugs at Senator Ashiru’s residence.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s director of media, said, “The personal house of the senator in GRA Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, had been raided in recent past, where drugs and illicit substances were recovered while two of his aides: Ibrahim Mohammed and Muhammed Yahaya were arrested,” Babafemi said.
“Based on credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed that the senator’s house was being used as a drug joint for drug dealers and users, the house was raided by our operatives at 1:30 pm on February 4, 2024, during which the two aides were arrested, while a third suspect escaped arrest.”
In reaction on Tuesday, a six-member panel, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), has been established to investigate the matter. Panel members include Senators Kaka Shehu (APC, Borno Central), Ede Dafinone (APC, Delta Central), Ireti Kingibe (LP, FCT), Afolabi Shauibu (APC, Ogun Central) and Lawal Usman (PDP, Kaduna Central).
The Senate’s action was prompted by Ashiru’s point of order under Senate Standing Order 42.
Ashiru said the reaction to his comment last week during a debate on a bill by the NDLEA has affected his integrity, as he neither takes alcohol nor takes carbonated drinks except water, and pleaded that the matter must be taken very seriously.
The Senate, therefore, convened a closed-door session from 11:49 am to 1:25 pm to address the issue.