The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Delta State Command, has uncovered a heavily fortified suspected drug hideout in Asaba, the state capital, where operatives reportedly discovered underground tunnels believed to have been used as escape routes and recovered suspected illicit substances.
The operation, conducted by the Commandant’s Patrol Team around Fallingwater Colehouse Yahweh Close, off Akara Junction along the 74 Junction–Asaba Specialist Hospital axis, followed intelligence reports about suspected drug-dealing activities in the area.
Key Highlights
- NSCDC operatives uncovered underground tunnels and multiple fortified iron doors at the suspected drug hideout.
- Suspected substances locally known as “Loud” and “Ice”, alongside PVC gum, were recovered.
- A man identified as Yakubu was arrested after allegedly arriving to purchase drugs.
- A notebook reportedly containing records of payments to security personnel was recovered, although its contents remain subject to verification.
- The NSCDC is investigating possible links to kidnapping, the ownership of the property and the identities of suspects who escaped.
- Authorities say the location will remain under surveillance as investigations and efforts to make further arrests continue.
NSCDC Uses Blowtorch to Gain Entry
The NSCDC said its operatives spent several days attempting to gain access to the suspected drug hideout because of its heavily fortified structure.
Speaking to journalists after the operation, the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC Delta State Command, DSC Anthony Akachukwu, said credible intelligence about suspected drug activities around the 74 Junction area, behind the Ibori Golf Course in Asaba, prompted the operation.
“We got intel that there’s a drug hideout here around 74. That’s after the back of Ibori Golf Course here in Asaba. The intel led our men, the Commandant’s Patrol Team, to swing into action immediately,” Akachukwu said.
He explained that the operatives made several unsuccessful attempts to enter the building before eventually using a blowtorch to gain access through the roof.
According to him, the team discovered multiple layers of fortified iron doors inside the structure, alongside underground passages extending towards surrounding areas.
“This little place that you have seen captured is a very fortified hideout. It will surprise you that after making attempts for three days, they only got through today because they had to use blowtorch to access this little building from the top,” he said.
Akachukwu added that the tunnels appeared to have provided escape routes for suspects whenever security operatives approached the location.
“After blowing through the top, we discovered other panels, layers of fortified iron doors and, getting into the drug hideout, we discovered that there are several tunnels which the criminals here used to escape most of the times when they are being checked or chased after,” he said.
Underground Tunnels Raise Kidnapping Concerns
The discovery of the underground passages has widened the scope of the investigation, with the NSCDC examining whether the property may have been used for criminal activities beyond the suspected drug trade.
Akachukwu said the tunnels were large enough to accommodate several people and appeared to connect the hideout to different parts of the surrounding area.
He also said some suspects escaped during the operation, allegedly using the underground passages.
“Today when the place was assessed, a lot of them were able to escape because of the underground tunnels that were available under the ground there,” he said.
The NSCDC spokesman said the size and layout of the passages had raised suspicions that the location might also have been used as a kidnapping hideout.
However, he stressed that investigations were ongoing, and no confirmed link to kidnapping had been established.
The command also noted that the property was situated within or surrounded by fenced, undeveloped plots. Investigators believe the setting may have made it easier for people to move in and out without attracting attention.
Suspected Drugs, Other Materials Recovered
During the operation, NSCDC operatives recovered substances allegedly sold at the location, alongside materials believed to have been used in their distribution.
The items reportedly included substances locally known as “Loud” and “Ice”, as well as PVC gum. The command said a significant quantity of the materials was recovered.
Akachukwu disclosed that some suspected operators escaped with part of the substances before the operatives could secure the entire location.
The recovered items are expected to form part of the evidence in the ongoing investigation.
NSCDC Arrests Suspected Drug Buyer
The operation also led to the arrest of a man identified as Yakubu, who allegedly arrived at the hideout to purchase drugs while security operatives were carrying out the operation.
According to Akachukwu, the man reportedly began negotiating with an operative whom he mistook for someone working at the suspected drug outlet.
He was subsequently arrested as investigations continued into his alleged involvement and possible links to other suspects.
The NSCDC spokesman said the command expected to make further arrests as the investigation progressed.
“We intend to make more arrests and then at the end of the arrests necessary actions will be taken,” he said.
Alleged Payment Ledger Recovered
Another significant development was the reported discovery of a notebook allegedly containing records of payments made by the suspected operators to different security personnel or teams.
According to information provided about the operation, the notebook purportedly contained details of weekly payments.
If verified, the records could help investigators establish whether the suspected operation had any form of protection or support from individuals within the security system.
However, the NSCDC has not publicly identified the personnel or agencies allegedly mentioned in the notebook. The authenticity of the document, its contents and the identities of any persons named in it remain to be established.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and no conclusions can yet be drawn about the involvement of any security personnel.
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Resident Alleges Years of Suspicious Activities
A resident of the area, who requested anonymity for security reasons, described the suspected operation as a longstanding concern for the community.
The resident, who said he had lived in the area for more than six years, claimed that he had personally seen the suspected operators only once but had frequently observed unusual movements around the location.
According to him, flashy vehicles, young men and women, including teenagers, were regularly seen entering the area at different hours of the day and night.
He alleged that customers could obtain substances through an opening in the structure without necessarily seeing the people supplying them.
The resident further claimed that the activity continued late into the night, with vehicles reportedly parked along Fallingwater Colehouse Yahweh Close at unusual hours.
He said people still arrived at the location around 3 a.m. to purchase substances, comparing the alleged volume of patronage to the busy commercial activity at Ogbeogonogo Market in Asaba.
The claims could not be independently verified.
Resident Calls for Demolition of Structure
The resident appealed to the Delta State Government and relevant security authorities to demolish the structure and seal or destroy the underground passages allegedly connecting the hideout to surrounding areas.
He expressed concern that arrests alone might not be enough if the physical infrastructure used to conceal the suspected operation remained intact.
He also warned that the underground routes could continue to provide escape corridors for suspects and facilitate other criminal activities if left unsecured.
The NSCDC has not announced any decision to demolish the property.
Investigation Underway to Identify Property Owner
Akachukwu said the command was investigating the ownership and control of the property where the suspected drug operation was uncovered.
He disclosed that investigators had obtained some information about the ownership but would not release details until the information had been verified.
“Investigations are ongoing to uncover the owner of the property. We already have information, but nothing will be made public until some ascertaining is done,” he said.
The command also said the location would remain under security watch to prevent the suspected activities from resuming while investigations continued.
“The scene of the crime will be under watch. Our men are still going to hang on here to ensure that it does not continue, at least until further arrests are made before any other investigation will be concluded for necessary court action,” Akachukwu said.
The recovered materials are expected to undergo further investigation and may be used in any subsequent prosecution.
NSCDC Operation Raises Questions About Criminal Networks in Asaba
The discovery of the suspected drug hideout has raised questions about how the facility was constructed, who financed it, how long the alleged operation had been running and how the substances were supplied.
Investigators are also expected to establish the identities of those who escaped, determine whether the underground passages served other purposes and verify the reported records of payments to security personnel. Drug-related offences in Nigeria fall primarily under the mandate of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The findings could help establish whether the suspected operation involved other individuals or criminal networks operating within Asaba.
For now, the NSCDC says investigations are continuing, with further arrests expected as operatives work to identify those connected to the alleged activities.
All allegations remain subject to investigation and, where applicable, proof before a court of law.
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