Operatives of
the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have recovered 19.8 kilogrammes of
dried weeds, said to be cannabis sativa, from two friends; 30-year-old Sandra
Ebere and Maureen Obidike, 33.
The suspects
were arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State during
the screening of passengers on an Etihad flight en route to Dubai, United Arab
Emirate.
It was learnt
that the drug was packaged into about 80 parcels and concealed inside
foodstuffs and bottles.
She said, “I
used to export foodstuffs to Dubai since 2012. Each time I go to Dubai, I stay
for two months and come back because I have no permanent visa. I came to
Nigeria since December 2014 to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays at
home. While I was preparing to go back, my travel agent in Dubai called me that
somebody will give me a parcel to bring to him. He promised me that if I could
bring it to him he will prepare my next visa for free. That was how I agreed to
take it.”
Obidike, in
her statement, described her arrest as the backlash of keeping a deceitful
friend.
“My friend
did not tell me that she had drugs in the luggage before she checked in in my
name. She told me that it was foodstuffs, but it turned out to be cannabis. I
feel very sad,” she said.
The NDLEA
Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Umar Hamza, said the case was under
investigation.
He said, “We
found 78 parcels of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis sativa
weighing 19.8kg inside foodstuffs and bottles of local alcoholic beverage. The
case is under investigation and the suspects are assisting our team of
investigators.”
The agency’s
Chairman, Mr. Ahmadu Giade, called on travellers to be sure of the content of
their luggage before travelling.
“Members of
the public must take necessary preventive measures to ensure that they have no
drugs in their luggage. They must also not collect luggage from people when
travelling. This is very important because such luggage may contain drugs,”
Giade said.
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