Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called on the Senate to summon the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other relevant bodies to provide evidence supporting the drug-related accusations against Deputy Senate Leader Yisa Ashiru.
Last week, during a debate on a bill proposing the creation of the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, Ashiru criticized the NDLEA, calling it “the most corrupt and compromised agency.” In response, the NDLEA issued a statement on Monday through its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, accusing the senator of involvement in drug activities. According to the NDLEA, a raid on Ashiru’s residence in Kwara, based on intelligence, led to the arrest of two of his aides, while one escaped. The agency claimed drugs and illicit substances were found at the house, which was allegedly being used as a drug hub.
Babafemi detailed that the senator’s house in the GRA area of Ilorin, Kwara State, was raided recently, and two of Ashiru’s aides, Ibrahim Mohammed and Muhammed Yahaya, were apprehended. The operation, he said, was backed by credible intelligence indicating the residence was being used by drug dealers and users.
Speaking after a motion by Ashiru during Tuesday’s plenary, Akpabio dismissed the NDLEA’s allegations as a personal attack. The Senate also established a six-member ad hoc committee, chaired by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), to investigate the claims. Other members include Senators Kaka Shehu (APC, Borno Central), Ireti Kingibe (LP, FCT), Afolabi Salisu (APC, Ogun Central), Ede Dafinone (APC, Delta Central), and Lawal Usman (PDP, Kaduna Central).
During the session, Akpabio voiced his skepticism about the timing of the NDLEA’s accusations. He remarked, “If the NDLEA believed you were involved in drug activities, they should have acted before you turned 30, 50, or even 65, not after your speech on the Senate floor at 68.”
He further criticized media discussions of Ashiru’s Senate remarks, highlighting that statements made in the Senate are protected by parliamentary immunity and should not be debated publicly.
Akpabio stressed, “You have never been invited or charged by the NDLEA, and as far as we in the Senate are aware, you are a gentleman who doesn’t even consume alcohol. This is a serious matter, and we must hold the NDLEA accountable.”
Earlier, Ashiru had introduced a motion of urgent national importance, citing Senate Standing Orders 9, 10, 41, and 52. He condemned the NDLEA’s claims as “mischievous and misleading,” explaining that his initial comments stemmed from concerns raised by his constituents about the devastating effects of drug abuse in his community, including reports of 50 people losing their sanity due to drug use in the past two years.
