By Victor Itodo Abuh
A YOUNG Nigerian, who identified himself as Krayzeetee Atu Terver, has expressed strong discontent with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), accusing the agency’s officers of abuse of power and violation of human rights during a search conducted on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, along the Abuja-Keffi road.
In a post on Facebook, Terver recounted his experience while traveling on a Zaamo Travels bus from Abuja to Makurdi, accompanied by a friend, Steve Best, and four other passengers.
Terver alleged that NDLEA officers singled out the young men for a search at a checkpoint near Keffi, despite their compliance and absence of any incriminating substances.
According to Terver, after thoroughly searching their bags and persons and finding no drugs, one officer accused Steve Best of taking photographs of the officers, demanding access to his phone. Despite his protest that no such photos were taken, the officers insisted on searching the phone.
When nothing suspicious was found, the officers reportedly escalated the situation, claiming they were investigating money laundering, a mandate outside the NDLEA’s jurisdiction.
“They searched his phone and checked through his apps and messages. When we questioned why they were probing for money laundering, which is EFCC’s responsibility, they became aggressive,” Terver wrote.
He added that the officers threatened to take them to the station and even attempted to search his friend’s bag a second time, despite it already being thoroughly examined in front of them.
The situation escalated further, with the officers allegedly threatening to arrest Terver and Best, leading to a tense standoff.
According to the letter, it was only after a former Benue State commissioner, who was also on the bus, intervened and pleaded with the officers that the situation was de-escalated, and they were allowed to leave.
Terver expressed his frustration with the officers’ unprofessional conduct, suggesting that their actions were driven by an attempt to extort money, a tactic often associated with the profiling of young Nigerians as internet fraudsters, commonly known as “Yahoo boys.”
“Your officers should be professional with their jobs and stop looking for ways to extort people,” Terver wrote, calling on the NDLEA to provide better training and orientation for its personnel. He questioned the agency’s involvement in money laundering investigations, urging them to stick to their mandate of drug enforcement.
The open letter ends with a broader call for the NDLEA to reconsider its approach toward young Nigerians, stressing that not all youths are involved in criminal activities, and that agencies must respect citizens’ rights.
The NDLEA is yet to officially respond to the allegations raised in the letter.
