Drug cartel releases kidnapped former NDLEA officer

Gunmen suspected to be drug lords have released a retired officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Benue State.

Naija News reports that the former NDLEA officer was kidnapped on Sunday by a drug cartel in the North Central state.

But according to Daily Trust, the former officer has regained his freedom after he was released by his captors on Monday.

Recall that the agency had announced that a drug cartel in Benue state had kidnapped the former officer over the arrest of a 19-year-old female drug dealer, Mngunengen Achir, in Aliade town.

In a statement on Sunday by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA had said Achir was arrested with 5.5kg cannabis and 112grams of diazepam on October 6.

“Other members of the arrested lady’s cartel abducted the retired NDLEA personnel from that community who they assumed was still a serving officer, took him to a forest and demanded for the release of the suspect in custody before their victim would be freed,” he had said.

But It was learned that the cartel had demanded the release of the female drug dealer in exchange for their captive but the agency refused to give in to the cartel’s demand.

The former NDLEA officer was said to have been released, while the arrested drug trafficker is still in custody.