By Nkechi Eze
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has mourned the death of an operative who lost his life in the line of duty during a major crackdown on a notorious drug enclave in Bonny Island, Rivers State, even as the agency confirmed the arrest of six suspects and the recovery of a large cache of illicit drugs.
Operatives of the NDLEA had raided Ama Hausa, a well-known drug hub in Bonny Island, where they arrested six suspected drug traffickers and recovered quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, skunk and tramadol. The operation, however, turned tragic when one of the officers, Chief Narcotic Agent Sadiq Bako Mujahid, sustained fatal injuries following a violent attack by hoodlums allegedly mobilised by the suspects.
In an official statement signed by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that the late Mujahid suffered severe head injuries when operatives came under attack during the raid. He was rushed to the Bonny Island General Hospital for emergency treatment but later died from his injuries.
Despite the violent resistance, NDLEA operatives successfully apprehended all six targets of the operation, including the alleged gang leader, Genesis George Benson, who was identified as the individual responsible for mobilising armed hoodlums to attack the officers. Other suspects arrested during the operation, which took place on Friday, 6 February 2026, include ThankGod Okon, Shamsudden Isah, Muhammed Musa, Adamu Muhammed and Muhammed Yusuf.
Reacting to the incident, Marwa commended the courage and professionalism of the operatives who carried on with the mission despite the loss of one of their own. He praised their resolve in overpowering the suspects and securing the illicit drugs, stressing that the sacrifice of the fallen officer would not be in vain.
“I salute the gallantry of our men who refused to be intimidated by these criminal elements,” Marwa said. “Even after the cowardly attack on Mujahid, our operatives ensured that the assailants were arrested and their illicit substances confiscated. Their sacrifice will not be in vain.”
While mourning the slain officer, the NDLEA boss described Mujahid as a disciplined and courageous officer who paid the ultimate price in service to the nation. He extended the agency’s condolences to the officer’s family, colleagues and the NDLEA Rivers State Command.
Marwa also issued a stern warning to criminal networks, declaring that attacks on NDLEA personnel would be treated as attacks on the Nigerian state itself. He reaffirmed the agency’s determination to intensify its operations against drug trafficking networks across the country.
“Any attack on our officers is an attack on the state, and it will not go without dire consequences,” he warned. “We remain undeterred in our mission to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs, and we will continue to take the fight to the enclaves of these merchants of death.”
The Bonny Island operation underscores both the risks faced by anti-drug operatives and the NDLEA’s continued resolve to dismantle entrenched drug networks, even in the face of violent resistance.
