The Saudi-bound female pilgrim who was
arrested last week by the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has excreted the
final wraps of cocaine, according to Sahara
Reporters.
55-year-old Basira Iyabo from Kwara State
was headed to Medina to perform the annual
pilgrimage when she was arrested at the
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,
during the outward screening of passengers
on an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai.
She excreted seventy-six (76) pellets of
cocaine and was then placed under
observation until she expelled all the injested
drugs totaling 82 wraps. NDLEA spokesman,
Mitchell Ofoyeju, who confirmed the report
said the married mother of three excreted the
last wraps of the substance over the weekend
while in their custody. The total weight of
drugs excreted by the suspect was 931 grams.
Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, the anti-
narcotics boss, described the action of the
suspect as shameful and stated that the drug
trafficker would be sanctioned in line with
anti-narcotics laws.
"It is a shameful and discreditable act for a
55 years old mother who is going on a holy
pilgrimage to ingest narcotics. This is very
shocking and a clear indication of her
inability to effectively discharge parental
responsibilities. The agency shall invoke the
powers of the law against her and others
caught indulging in production or trafficking
of drugs."
Also commenting on the arrest, NDLEA
Commander at the Abuja airport, Hamisu
Lawan, said arrangements had been
concluded for her prosecution in the law
court. If the suspect had been caught in Saudi
Arabia, she would have been publicly executed
according to the law of the land.
In her confessional statement, the trader who
sells cosmetics at Dosumu Market in Lagos
owned up to the crime and also provided
investigators with useful information. She said
that she desired to expand her business in
Dosunmu Market and her sponsors, who she
declined to mention, offered her the sum of
N1 million to courier the drug to Saudi Arabia.
"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. I was excited until the issue of drugs was
introduced.
I wanted to decline, but it was
late. Besides, I was offered one N1 million,
which I accepted.
I swallowed the drugs in
Lagos and took a flight to Abuja on my way
to Medina, but I was caught in the process"
Photo credit: NDLEA
Taking risks this much in a bid to make quick money
ReplyDelete