SAN FRANCISCO, September 11, (THEWILL) – A 55-year-old female pilgrim, Mrs Binuyo Basari Iyabo, arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, last week, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, has excreted a total number of 82 wraps of cocaine.
The suspect, who has been under observation, reportedly excreted the substances weighing 931 grammes with a street value estimated at N10 million.
According to the NDLEA Commander at the Abuja airport, Hamisu Lawan, the suspect, on her way to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage, was arrested after testing positive for drug ingestion during the outward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight to Dubai en-route Medina.
Describing her action as shameful and discreditable, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Muhammad Mustapha Abdallahi, vowed that the agency would prosecute the suspect.
He warned members of the public not to get involved in drug trafficking and other criminal activities capable of exposing them to ridicule and undermining their good reputation.
“It is a shameful and discreditable act for a 55-year-old mother, going on holy pilgrimage, to ingest narcotics,” he said.
“This is shocking and a clear indication of her inability to effectively discharge parental responsibility.”
“The agency shall invoke the powers of the law against her and others caught indulging in production/trafficking in narcotic drugs.”
During interrogation, the suspect, a mother of three from Irepodun local government area of Kwara State, was said to have revealed that she was offered N1m to traffic the drug.
“I am a trader in Lagos, married with three children. I wanted to expand my cosmetic business but I have no money. My sponsor offered to foot my expenses to Saudi on pilgrimage. This was how I got involved in the act,” she confessed.
“I was excited until the issue of drugs was introduced. I wanted to decline but it was late. Besides, I was offered a million naira which I accepted. I swallowed the drug in Lagos and took a flight to Abuja on my way to Medina but I was caught in the process.”
Story by David Oputah.
