Posted by By Simon Ateba on
Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, last week dashed the hopes of two traders who had attempted to make money from drug trafficking.
Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, last week dashed the hopes of two traders who had attempted to make money from drug trafficking.
The suspects, Samuel Emeka Egotanwa, 28 and Bello Waheed Adisa, 38 were caught at the central screening hall of the airport while they were trying to export narcotics out of the country. Egotanwa was nabbed on Saturday 6 September 2008 at about 12 noon with 16.3 kilogrammes of cannabis while attempting to board a Qartar Airways flight from Lagos to China. Adisa tested positive for drug ingestion on his way to London on a Virgin Atlantic flight on Tuesday, 9 September , 2008.
Egotanwa confessed to have packed the drug in his house at 79, Mushin road, Isolo, Lagos. The drug was packed in a carton, which he was taking to China for a fee. The Indian hemp was carelessly packed as hand luggage, perhaps to avoid raising suspicion. He was, however, unlucky as the NDLEA agents insisted on opening the carton. When the parcel was searched, weeds suspected to be cannabis, weighing 16.3 kilogrammes, were found. The suspect, who hails from Idemili local government area of Anambra State claimed he got involved because of poor business.
According to the NDLEA Commander at the airport, Mr. Victor Cole-Showers, the 16.3 kilogrammes of cannabis was the single largest seizure of cannabis made at the airport since the beginning of the year. Although some drug couriers traffic in cannabis, most drug seizures involved cocaine or heroin.
Adisa had ingested cocaine weighing 1.218 kilogrammes. Bello, who claimed to be a member of the Balogun family in Araromi town near Ogbomosho in Oyo State, said the demolition of his building materials shop at Tejuosho market some months ago made life difficult for him as he lost everything.
'Since I lost everything in my shop I felt that the 2,000 pounds I was promised will enable me start another business again' Bello stated.