*Denies any involvement *Red Chambers sets up Cttee
By Abbanobi -Eku Onyekachi
The Senate has set up an As hoc committee to unravel the truth behind drug trafficking allegations made against one of it’s members.
Senator Oyetola Ashiru, representing Kwara South Senatorial district has been accused of drug dealings by the National Drug Law Enforcement agency (NDLEA).
The investigative committee was set up after the senator raised Order 42 of Senate Standing Rules, which bothers on personal explanation, noting that the NDLEA, accused him of involvement in drug trafficking which led to the arrest of some of his aides.
However, the Senator described the allegation against him by NDLEA as baseless and unfounded, even as he stressed that the Agency was angry because he contributed to a proposed bill on the establishment of a drug-related agency on Tuesday, 15th October, 2024.
He urged the Senate to take action on the matter, saying that the allegation was an infringement on his person and his privilege as a sitting senator.
“Mr Senate President, I come under Order 42 – personal explanation. My personal explanation is NDLEA’s malicious reaction to my debate on a bill seeking to establish an institute on drug awareness and rehabilitation.
“I expressed my concern on this bill for so many reasons. For the reason that there are a lot of information from my constituency on the negative effect of drug consumption and trafficking to the extent that one of my constituents has ascertained that in the last two years, he can count up to 50 people who have lost their sanity due to consumption of drugs.
“Equally, they are visible examples of drug barons who are making money through distribution of drugs in my constituency and other constituencies too.
“We have observed that there are increase in drug related crime. Because of these and many other reasons, I strongly contributed on the floor of the Senate that the Senate should look into the operation of NDLEA and advise that issue of corruption among operatives should be looked into to the extent that after debate, I supported the establishment of another agency that will take care of rehabilitation,” he defended.
Still maintaining his innocence, he said: “Mr President, I come under Order 42 to clear insinuation published especially by Daily Trust that Senator Ashiru is involved in distribution of drugs. In my life,
“I am 68 years now, and assert that I cannot even identify cannabis or any drug. I don’t do drugs, I do neither drink caffeine, nor even take carbonated drinks”, the embattled Senator insisted.
