Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency( NDLEA) ,
has arrested two Nigerian men, , Obinna Igwebuike, 47 and Sunday Ojo, 59, travelling to London and
New York respectively, with 1.090 kilogrammes of heroin during the outward
screening of passengers on a Delta Airline flight to New York, the NDLEA said
in a statement Tuesday.
Full story after the cut……
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a US-bound passenger who ingested over one kilogramme of heroin at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, in Lagos.
Sunday Ojo, 59, an Ondo-based timber merchant, was caught
The last arrest of a suspect leaving Nigeria to the United
States at the Lagos airport was in May 2012 when one Emeka Orji was apprehended
with 1.250 kilogramme of heroin.
“NDLEA preliminary investigation shows that Ojo Sunday
Akanmu Olusegun who hails from Ilesha Osun State ingested seventy-five wraps of
substances that tested positive for heroin,” said Hamza Umar, NDLEA Commander
at the Lagos airport.
During interrogation, Mr. Ojo said that his involvement
in drug trafficking was due to financial hardship.
“I am married to two wives with five children. My problem
started in 2013 when I lost two million naira to fraudsters,” he said.
“In the process I became indebted and had been running
from pillar to post without any solution. A young man introduced me into drug
trafficking in order for me to pay my debts.
“Initially, I dismissed the suggestion but when my
condition is not getting better, I decided to take the risk. The ten thousand
dollars they promised me would have gone a long way in solving my problem. This
is my first time of smuggling drugs.”
The NDLEA said it also arrested another suspected drug
trafficker, Obinna Igwebuike, on a Virgin Atlantic flight to London Heathrow.
Mr. Igwebuike, 47, allegedly inserted six wraps of
cocaine in his anus and ingested the remaining six wraps weighing a total of
335 grammes.
The last arrest of a drug trafficker on the Lagos –
United Kingdom route was in October 2014 when one Chidi Onyechesi was found
with 25 grammes of cocaine on an Air France flight to Scotland.
In 2013, one Vitus Uzobude was arrested with 1.815
kilogrammes of cocaine on a British Airways flight to London.
In his statement, Mr. Igweibuike said that he would have
made a million naira from drug trafficking.
“I sell electronics at Alaba market in Lagos. I agreed to
smuggle drugs because I would have made a million naira to invest in my
business,” he said.
“I also needed money to take care of my family. I am
married with two children.”
The NDLEA said that the drastic reduction in the arrests
of drug couriers to the US and UK is due to extra vigilance and mutual
cooperation between Nigeria and the two countries.
“It is gladdening that the number of arrests has reduced
on the United States and United Kingdom routes. We are working very hard to
replicate similar feats on other routes,” said Ahmadu Giade, NDLEA’s Chairman.
“We have a feedback mechanism where arrest made on
flights from Nigeria to the US and UK is communicated to us.”
The agency said that the suspects will be charged to
court soon.
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