Posted by By Philip Nwosu, Christopher Oji and Ime Ola on
It was a big disgrace for a couple in Lagos as they were paraded by men of the Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for Bagaging in Indian hemp trade. But the man at the centre of it said his wife was not involved.
It was a big disgrace for a couple in Lagos as they were paraded by men of the Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for Bagaging in Indian hemp trade. But the man at the centre of it said his wife was not involved.
The couple, who were paraded as ‘Mr. and Mrs. Akiola,' gave their age as 45 and 37 respectively. They are parents of five kids who reside at the Ijesha area of Lagos.
The man, who was identified as Charles Akiola, said: 'My dear brother I am fed up, I am a little bit educated. When I looked for job, I could not find. I have done labourer work carrying concrete at work site and I have five children, I cannot take care of them with the little I earn."
Akiola expressed regret because according to him, this woman (wife) is innocent. She has divorced me three times because of my involvement in this Indian hemp business.
'She is my wife! She came back to me because of her daughter. She had married another person, but when there was no children for the man, she came back. She doesn't know anything, she is a caterer," she added.
While he was speaking, his wife who was identified as Mojisola, bowed her head in shame and amazement. Akiola said that her action was because she was innocent.
'When I started this business three years ago, she was not happy with it, she left. After four months, I went to plead to her people that she should come back that I will stop it, she came back.
'One day she caught me with a little and she left again and married another man, but because she never had any issue for the man, she came back to me again and we were caught together."
Daily Sun learnt that Akiola family has been in deep sorrow, but Akiola said that rather than jail him, they should help him. The NDLEA also paraded seven other suspected drug traders who were caught with several quantity of illicit drugs. Among those paraded were Augustine Okorocha, Femi Green, Ikechukwu Chukwu, Adjat Lasisi, Tunde Filami and Sunday Abubo.
Speaking the with Daily Sun, the NDLEA Zonal Commander, Mr. Abiodun Adesola lamented that the trade in illicit drugs 'is fast becoming a family business in which husband and wife take pride and delight in hawking death to the children of others in the society."
He lamented that some person are now impersonating drug enforcement agents in order to escape the dragnet of the force, but added that these set of people would not go unpunished.
'It is this set of illicit drug dealers that are now posing a serious threat to the society because they are ready not just to offer for sale, but also to induce and lure gullible souls to their early death," he added.
While revealing that the command has seized 9,482kilogrammes of various types of illicit drugs from 62 persons, the NDLEA Zonal Commander lamented that despite the arrest, people are still joining the illegal business.
He said that this half year figure doubled the entire figure of 2003 and 2004 respectively, adding that this is the reason for the campaign against the trafficking and sales of Indian hemp and other type of illicit drugs.
He said: 'The Lagos State Command will not be deterred by any threat, blackmail or intimidation form any quarters because we feel we owe the society a duty and that we are fully prepared to discharge our duties effectively."