With few days to the celebration of Christmas, officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended four suspected drug traffickers in connection with unlawful importation of 2.375kg of wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine. A total of 144 wraps of cocaine concealed inside the inner wear of two of the suspects were detected at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during routine screening.
According to the NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, the suspects are Emeanu Sunday Ogechukwu, 35 years, Madubia Vitalis, 35 years, Nnoli Oliver Uchenna, 39 years and Ekwe Paul Chinonso, 34years. “Emeanu Sunday Ogechukwu was first arrested with 70 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.120kg in his inner wear. He said the drugs were given to him by Madubia Vitalis. Shortly after, Nnoli Oliver Uchenna was caught with 74 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.255kg. Nnoli said that the drugs were given to him by Ekwe Chinonso. All four suspects have been arrested and are currently under investigation” Hamza stated.
Emeanu Sunday Ogechukwu, an apprentice at Idumota market in his statement said that he was offered 200,000 naira to smuggle the drugs from Abu Dhabi by one Madubia Vitalis. “I am looking for money to get married and settle down. If I had known that it will end this way, I should have rejected the offer. I am still serving my master at Idumota” Emeanu who hails from Anambra State lamented.
Madubia Vitalis who works in a restaurant in Brazil said that he was paid 3,000 dollars to smuggle the drugs from Brazil to Abu Dhabi. Madubia hails from Anambra State.
Nnoli Oliver Uchenna was also caught with 74 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.255kg. He stated that he was given the drugs by Ekwe Paul Chinonso at Abu Dhabi. “I sell electrical parts in Anambrs State. I was given the drugs by Ekwe Paul who promised to pay me 200,000 naira” Nnoli stated.
Ekwe Paul, a trader who hails from Imo State said that he was given 4,000 dollars to smuggle the drugs from Brazil to Abu Dhabi. In his words, “all I know is that I was given 4,000 dollars to take the drug from Brazil to Abu Dhabi for 4,000 dollars. It was in Abu Dhabi that I gave it to Nnoli Oliver Uchenna. I wanted to use the 4,000 dollars to buy artificial female hair for the end of year sales”.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade expressed satisfaction with the arrest. “I am glad that the suspects were arrested. Their plan of recruiting different couriers to take the drugs from Brazil to Abu Dhabi and another set to take the drugs to Nigeria has been aborted” Giade stated.
The NDLEA boss urged members of the public with useful information on illegal drug activities to contact any of its offices nationwide.
The suspects will soon be charged to court.
