Chinelo Obogo
The Murtala Muhammed Airport Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two persons with 153 wraps of cocaine.
Briefing reporters on the arrest, the NDLEA Airport Commander MMIA, Garba Ahmadu, said 54-year-old widow and mother of six, Sulaimon Kudirat Aduni, was the first to be arrested. Aduni, a native of Abeokuta in Ogun State, ingested 60 wraps of substance confirmed to be cocaine but excreted 28 wraps and her life is currently in danger because of the remaining wraps.
Ahmadu said: “She was arrested on October 26, 2019 at about 7.25am at the screening point 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport during outward clearance of passengers at the said control post. She was to board Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
“After profiling her at the interdiction point, she was referred for a body scan and the result was positive for the ingestion of hard drugs. On October 27, 2019, she developed some complications and vomited two wraps of suspected substance resulting from irritation and stomach discomfort. During preliminary interview, she admitted that she ingested a total of 60 wraps of substance confirmed to be cocaine. She has so far excreted 28 wraps.
“She coughed intermittently before vomiting and fainted in the process. She was promptly rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). After she was certified stable, the suspect was taken back to custody for further investigation in order to unravel other possible associates that are linked to the case. She is being kept under strict observation for possible excretion of the remaining 32 wraps.”
The female suspect, Adunni, said she was given the drug to take to London by one Mukaila, who was introduced to her by a friend. She said she was promised her one N1million if she delivered the drug successfully.
The command also arrested Adindu Obinna Hyacinth, 45, from Nnewi, Anambra State, for the ingestion of 93 wraps of cocaine at the screening point 11 of the MMIA. He was to board a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt.
Ahmadu said: “In the process of excretion, the suspect made the first excretion of 35 wraps of suspected hard drugs and it was observed that one of the wraps excreted was almost unwrapped. After taking medication, he excreted a total of 93 wraps of suspected hard drugs with a total weight of 1.620kg.”
Upon interrogation, Hyacinth said he agreed to get involved in crime because someone stole his N6 million and he was desperate for cash. He said he was promised 3,000 Euros if he was successful in taking the drugs to Frankfurt.
