The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe yesterday accused some security operatives of leaking vital information to suspects, including the identity of informants, such that the hoodlums turn around to threaten such informants and members of their families.

Speaking at Ime Obi in Onitsha when the commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in Anambra State, Mr. Sule Momodu paid him a courtesy call, the Monarch, who is the chairman of Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, recalled that on one occasion, he personally reported a certain hotelier who was alleged to be involved criminal activities in his kingdom to the security agencies, only for the hoodlum to come to him some days after he was arrested and threatened to deal with him and members of his family if he( the monarch) repeated it.

He said: “Incidentally, the person, an hotelier, is not from Onitsha. In his hotel, you could see young girls less than 15 years of age, dancing naked and committing all manner of atrocities. Babies were even sold in the hotel.
“I had to mobilize my people and we went there and pulled down the hotel and I asked them to come and kill me.”
He urged security agencies to treat informants with utmost secrecy and good faith, as that is one way of successfully fighting the war against criminals, especially illicit drug peddlers in the state.

Noting that illicit drug usage was capable of destroying a whole generation, the royal father charged the NDLEA to do everything possible to arrest one particular drug baron in Onitsha (names withheld) in order to minimize cases of drug trafficking in the area.

He expressed disappointment that the alleged notorious drug peddler was still moving about freely and pledged his full support and involvement in the war against drug offenders in Anambra state.

According to him, Onitsha as a cosmopolitan city, would need additional policing for more effective results, explaining that youths in his domain had already formed an anti- drug club, made up of graduates and others, who crusade against illicit drug usage in the area.

The anti- drug youth club, he added, is mostly used during the long vacation to sensitize the younger ones on the dangers of using illegal drugs, as well as teaching morals that would restore core values of the people.

The NDLEA commander had earlier solicited the assistance of the traditional ruler on how to curb illicit drug business in the area , saying that Onitsha and Anambra state in general had become notorious for drug offences.
He said their modus operandi was for drug traffickers to secure shops in Onitsha Main Market from where they syndicate illegal drugs, such as cannabis sativa.