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| Ezeabata Uju Gloria |
Operatives of the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested lady, who was recruited into drug
trafficking by a fiancé she met on Facebook, residing in Malaysia
The suspect, Ezeabata Uju
Gloria was arrested during screening of passengers on an Ethiopian airline
flight on her way to Malaysia at the departure hall.
Gloria, who works with an
accounting firm in Lagos said; “I met a man on Facebook some months ago who
lives in Malaysia. He told me while chatting online that he is from my State,
Anambra in South East Nigeria. After some months, he proposed marriage and I
told him to come to Nigeria to meet with my parents as our custom demands. He
promised to fulfill every marriage rite. Months later, he invited me to
Malaysia, promising to pay all the travel expenses. After several appeals, I
decided to visit him. The day I was to travel, he told me to take along a bag
of foodstuff sent by his mother from the village. I was given the bag at the
airport but in the process of checking it in, drug was discovered inside packs
of noodles in the bag and I was arrested.”
Substances that tested
positive for methamphetamine weighing 1.325kg were detected in her luggage.
The drug was concealed in
26 packs of noodles in a bag of foodstuff containing plantain, pepper, melon
and other spices.
Further investigation led
to the arrest of one Mr. Philip Maduabuchi Akpaka, 39, who allegedly
coordinated the travel arrangement for Gloria and gave her the bag containing
the drugs.
NDLEA commander at the
Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba said that Gloria was arrested following the
discovery of methamphetamine in her luggage.
Philip also admitted
preparing the travel documents of Gloria on the request of his friend based in
Malaysia.
His words: “I’m a
transporter. My friend in Malaysia asked me to prepare travel documents for
Gloria. He also asked me to give a bag to Gloria to take to Malaysia.”
Both suspects will soon be
charged to court for conspiracy, unlawful possession and exportation of
narcotic drugs.
The acting Chairman of the
NDLEA, Mrs. Roli Bode-George said that the arrest of the lady, turned out to be
a lifeline as drug trafficking is punishable by death in Malaysia.
According to Bode-George,
“the Agency has uncovered plot by drug trafficking organisations to use the
social media for recruitment of drug mules. After a painstaking surveillance,
we have successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs to Malaysia by a
courier recruited online via Facebook.
Some of the tricks to
watch out for include marriage proposals to unsuspecting female victims,
unsolicited generosity like cash and other gift items as well as offering
all-expense paid trip to Asia, Europe, America and South Africa. This arrest is
significant considering the fact that Malaysia recently sentenced a Nigerian to
death for drug trafficking. The mode of recruitment is also instructive because
of its mass appeal to youths. I expect lovers of social media to learn from
this arrest.”
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| Mr. Philip Maduabuchi Akpaka |
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