Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have prevented a Nigerian student studying in Malaysia from premature death. The 31 year old suspect, Dike Chibuzor Vitalis, possessed 1.430kg of white crystalline powder that tested positive for methamphetamine on his way to Malaysia where drug trafficking attracts death penalty. He was intercepted at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during screening of passengers on a Qatar Airline flight following the discovery of the drugs in his luggage.
Dike Chibuzor Vitalis could have joined other Nigerians in death row if not for the intervention of the anti-narcotic Agency. The suspect who hails from Orlu, Imo State said that he was promised 4,000 dollars to deliver the drugs in Malaysia. In his words, “I was asked to take an empty bag to Malaysia for a fee of 4,000 dollars. When I got to the airport, the drug was discovered. That was how I got involved”.
Speaking on the arrest, the NDLEA Airport commander, Mr Hamza Umar explained that the drug was concealed inside the bag. “The drug was industrially packed in a way that we have to cut the sides of the bag open with a knife to discover the drugs. It will take a professional to detect the drugs” Hamza stated.
In a related operation, NDLEA officers at the Lagos Airport discovered wraps of cocaine inside packs of baby powder meant for export to Gabon. The discovery was made inside a luggage containing artificial hair, perfumes and artificial nails. It was to be sent as unaccompanied luggage to Gabon on Askye Airline.
The suspect, Iwegbuna Ebele in his statement said that he was asked to send the goods to Gabon. In his words, “I was given one hundred and thirty thousand naira (N130,000) by my childhood friend to buy female hair attachment, artificial nails and perfumes. My friend later called me that somebody will give me children powder to add to what I bought. So the person called me and gave me the powder which I added to the goods. It was in the process of search that the cocaine was discovered. I am a technician and I specialise in the repairs of air conditioning units”.
The suspect is single and hails from Akwu-Ukwu villages in Orifite, Anambra State. He graduated from Orifite Boys Secondary School, Anambra State.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Ahmadu Giade who described the involvement of the suspects in drug trafficking as sad urged members of the public to draw lessons from the arrests. “I want members of the public to learn from the experiences of the suspects. It is sad that at a time the country is making efforts to save her citizens who are on death row abroad, a young man at 31, Dike Chibuzor Vitalis is deliberately signing his death warrant” Giade stated.
The suspects will soon be charged to court.
