NDLEA Arrests Students, Two Others For Drug Trafficking [See Photo]

Four suspected drug traffickers
between the ages of 24 and 44 have
been arrested by officials of the
National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala
Mohammed International Airport
(MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.
The suspects are: Omidiya Taiwo
(44), who works at a foreign
automobile company; Anikwe
Chukwudi Charles (25), a hotel
attendant in Lagos; Igwe Nelson
Chidi (24), a student, and Agomuo
Ekwutosi Basil (44), an Imo State-
based farmer.
About 6.135 kilogrammes of illicit
substances were seized from them.
The NDLEA Lagos Airport
Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar gave
the breakdown of the seized drugs
as 4.290 kilogrammes of heroin; 570
grammes of methamphetamine and
1.275 kilogrammes of c*****e.
“Omidiya Taiwo was found in
possession of 525 grammes of
c*****e and 1.540 kilogrammes of
heroin.
He ingested 87 wraps and concealed
others in his pants on his way to
Spain.
Anikwe Chukwudi Charles was
intercepted with 570 grammes of
methamphetamine concealed in the
handles of his luggage on his way to
Malaysia.
Igwe Nelson Chidi was found with
750 grammes of c*****e hidden
under his luggage and Agomuo
Ekwutosi Basil was caught with
2.750 kilogrammes of heroin hidden
inside his luggage while returning
from Pakistan.
They are cooperating with our team
of investigators and will be charged
to court soon”, Umar said.
Taiwo, who works in Spain, said he
was introduced into drug trafficking
by a friend.
“I have been living in Spain for the
past 14 years where I work with an
automobile company. My friend in
Barcelona called me and requested
that I should bring drugs to Spain.
He even contacted somebody who
gave me the drugs in Lagos.
After swallowing 87 wraps, I hid the
remaining in my pants because the
wraps were many.
I was sad when the drug was
detected at the airport because I
would have made a fortune from it”,
Omidiya, who hails from Ogun State,
said.
Charles said he was on his way to
Malaysia for studies when he was
caught with the drugs.
“I was working as a hotel attendant
in Lagos when a customer asked me
if I am a graduate.
I told him that I have five credits but
could not go further in my education
because of lack of finance.
He promised to help me and he
used to give me money any time he
came around. He called me that he
had completed my admission for
further studies in Malaysia.
That was how he paid my travel
expenses and gave me a bag to take
to Malaysia.
He said his friend would collect the
bag from me and assist me secure
my admission.
Unfortunately, drug was found
inside the handle of the bag he gave
me”.
Chidi, who hails from Imo State,
said: “I got admission two months
ago to study Tourism and Hotel
Management in Cyprus.
While in Nigeria, a friend in Cyprus
called me to bring narcotics for a fee
of E5,000.
That was how I got involved in drug
trafficking. I wanted to use the
money to settle my fees and buy
books for my study.
This is a big setback for my career”.
“I am a farmer in Imo State. It was
difficult for me to feed my wife with
one child because of hardship.
A friend invited me to Pakistan and
promised to sponsor my trip and
help me secure a good job.
When I got to Pakistan, he told me
there was no job but that I should
take drugs to Nigeria.
He promised to give me N500, 000
to start up my business if I
succeeded in taking the drugs to
Nigeria.
Since life was becoming unbearable,
I decided to take the risk.
I was, however, not lucky as I was
arrested at the airport in Lagos”,
said Basil, in his confessional
statement.
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA,
Ahmadu Giade, reiterated his
warning to drug trafficking
syndicates that the agency would
continue to intercept narcotics,
arrest traffickers and prosecute
them.
“We have put in place measures to
intercept narcotics this end-of-year
season.
Drug traffickers planning to smuggle
drugs through the country shall be
apprehended and prosecuted.
I am happy with the arrests,
particularly that of 25-year-old
Anikwe Chukwudi Charles, a hotel
attendant, who was taking drugs to
Malaysia where drug trafficking
attracts capital punishment”, he
said.