Drug dealers in Lagos and Ogun states have allegedly adopted a new strategy of using persons living with disabilities and female hawkers to distribute narcotics in a bid to evade security agencies.

The development has made detection more difficult, as persons with disabilities are often seen on the streets begging for alms, while female hawkers carrying bowls or other items may attract little suspicion from members of the public.

The new method of drug distribution was uncovered at the weekend when The Guardian visited some police formations in Lagos and Ogun states.

At one of the police stations in Lagos, a male amputee was arrested with a large quantity of different types of hard drugs at a black spot in one of the state’s major markets.

During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed that he was introduced to the business, alongside others, by a major drug dealer who is currently at large.

According to him, many of those recruited are operating across Lagos and Ogun states and are paid 10 per cent of their daily sales. He said he had been using the proceeds to supplement the money he made from begging.

In a separate incident, a female hawker was arrested in the Sango-Ota area of Ogun State while allegedly carrying hard drugs concealed beneath a large pot.

The woman reportedly claimed she was hawking native liquid herbs, popularly known as agbo. However, a plain-clothed police officer became suspicious and asked her to drop the pot. She reportedly started trembling, prompting the officer to search it, where several hard drugs were allegedly found.

Police investigators told The Guardian that the suspects would be used to trace the major dealers and other kingpins behind the distribution of narcotics in Lagos and Ogun states and, by extension, other parts of the South-West.

Meanwhile, operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have intensified raids on drug joints and identified flashpoints across the state as part of efforts to tackle the activities of drug dealers.

The police said drug abuse was a major factor contributing to criminal activities, adding that some violent crimes, including killings and robberies, are committed by people under the influence of narcotics.

The command also linked drug abuse to mental health problems among youths, citing an incident in Mushin where a young man allegedly became disoriented after taking hard drugs, went to an electricity transformer, and was electrocuted.