Stray bullet hits 22-year old lady during NDLEA’s Operation

Family members of a 22-year-old woman, identified simply as Barakat, are in distress after she was allegedly killed by an official of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency from the Lagos State Command.

It was learnt that Barakat was shot by one of the operatives during a raid on Alasia community in the Ajah area of the state where she lived.

It was gathered that the anti-narcotic officials stormed the neighbourhood last Saturday to arrest youths allegedly smoking and peddling Indian hemp. They were said to have resisted arrest, hauling stones and bottles at the NDLEA personnel.

The officials shot indiscriminately in an attempt to repel the attack during which a stray bullet hit Barakat.

Angry youths were said to have mobilised to the NDLEA office in the area to exact revenge after the woman died, but were dispersed by policemen from the Ajah division.

A relative of the deceased, said the family had taken solace in God, adding that they were not ready to pursue a case against the agency.

“We had a meeting at the NDLEA office on Wednesday and the agency promised to investigate the incident. But the family is not interested in pursuing any case. The father of the deceased was not around; he said he was not ready to drag the case further,” the relative, identified only as Kehinde, added.

The spokesperson for the state police command, CSP Chike Oti confirmed the killing.

Oti said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for further investigation.

He said, “The police received a distress call from the community that some youths engaged men of the NDLEA who were on duty in the neighbourhood by throwing bottles and weapons at them. A stray bullet hit one Barakat aged 22 and she died on the spot.

“A police patrol team intervened when the NDLEA officials were attacked in their office and normalcy was restored to the area.”