NDLEA arrests three suspects with 2.3kg drugs

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested three suspected drug traffickers with a total of 2.36kg of hard drugs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, gave the names of the suspects as Pascal Chichebe, 33, a Nigerian that sells shoes at Guinea Bissau, Matthew Nnoyelum, 39, an electronic trader at Alaba Market, Lagos and Chris Obionu, 32, an auto parts dealer at Zuba, Abuja.

Umar said Chichebe was caught with 1kg of heroin on his way from Malaysia, while Nnoyelum and Obionu atempted to smuggle 1.815kg and 550 grammes of methamphetamine respectively to Malaysia.

Worried by the development, the chairman of the agency, Ahmadu Giade, said, “The punishment for drug trafficking in Malaysia is death. This is clearly stated on the visa. It is therefore worrisome that the suspects still have their minds on the illicit proceeds of their obnoxious trade.”

Giade added that the suspects should be grateful that they were arrested in Nigeria and not Malaysia.

Obionu, who allegedly ingested 28 wraps of methamphetamine and concealed some in his shoes, was to board a Qatar airline flight to Malaysia when he reportedly tested positive to drug ingestion.

He said, “The arrest has drastically altered my plans. My mind was fixed on the $5,000 they promised to pay me and my marriage which ought to take place this December.”

According to Nnoyelum, who was to board an Emirates flight to Malaysia, a friend in Ghana introduced him to the trade.

“I did it because of poverty. My wife is not working and I wanted to collect half a million naira to uplift my living standard. If only I was successful, the festive period would have been fun but now everything is against me. I do not know where to start from.”

Similarly, Chichebe, who resides in Guinea Bissau with his wife and son, said the NDLEA had shattered his dreams.

He reportedly said he was promised $5,000 to ingest 62 wraps of heroin weighing one kilogramme from Malaysia to Nigeria and he accepted the offer because his business needed financial intervention.

NDLEA’s Head, Public Affairs, Ofoyeju Mitchell, said all the suspects would be charged to court soon.