Enugu is once again in the spotlight as the State Police Command stages a high-profile “clampdown” on alleged drug traffickers, parading four suspects and a pile of seized items in what looks like a show of force against the city’s booming illicit drug scene.
Police spokesperson SP Daniel Ndukwe announced that specialized tactical units swooped on alleged criminal hideouts and black spots across the metropolis, claiming they acted on “credible intelligence” about drug distribution hubs. According to the Command, officers recovered large quantities of substances said to be cannabis and other hard drugs, along with cash and various items they are already linking to the drug trade.
In the headline-grabbing operation, the Special Weapons and Tactics Team stormed a suspected drug den tucked behind New Market, Enugu. At the center of the raid is a 46-year-old woman, Omeru Nkechi, now being publicly tagged as a “major distributor” in the area, even before any court has weighed in on the allegations.
From the scene, police displayed a large bag of dried leaves they insist is Indian hemp, plus a curious assortment of non-drug items: a big roll of wire, several rolls of 1.5mm electric cables, assorted off-cut wires, a water-pumping machine, a point-of-sale device, two bank cards, and cash totalling one million eight hundred thousand naira. Investigators are already floating theories that these items may be proceeds of crime or tools used to mask a wider trafficking network, though no concrete proof has been made public.
In another sweep clearly designed to send a message, the Command’s Anti-Cultism Squad rolled out a crime-prevention patrol through notorious hot spots in Obeagu, Asata, and the Holy Ghost Railway axis. Acting on what they call “actionable intelligence,” officers picked up three young men: 21-year-old Anielozie Emmanuel, 20-year-old Ekoh Miracle, and 27-year-old Nwachukwu Michael, who police are quick to label a suspected member of the Vikings confraternity.
On display from this second operation were thirty-two small containers filled with substances police say are cannabis, an extra sachet of suspected cannabis, and twelve wrapped pills believed to be hard drugs. Authorities describe these locations as infamous corridors for street-level dealing and cult-linked activities, reinforcing the narrative of a city under siege from drugs and gangs.
SP Ndukwe insists that discreet investigations are underway to trace the supply chain, unmask financiers, and crush what police portray as a sprawling network behind the suspects. He also announced intensified surveillance around markets, transport hubs, and densely populated neighbourhoods, while urging residents to come forward with information to help “curb drug trafficking and associated crimes” in Enugu State.
For now, the public is left with dramatic arrests, bold claims, and a parade of seized items, as the police push the image of a force tightening its grip on Enugu’s underworld,whether this is a turning point or just another media moment remains to be seen.
