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NDLEA arrests female pilgrim at Abuja airport

Mrs Binuyo Basira Iyabo

Mrs Binuyo Basira Iyabo

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), recently arrested a 55-year-old female pilgrim to Saudi Arabia, Mrs. Binuyo Basira Iyabo with cocaine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Iyabo tested positive to narcotic ingestion at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, Mitchel Ofoyeju, in a statement, said the suspect had so far excreted 76 pellets of substances found to be cocaine.

Also at the Murtalla Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, NDLEA officials also intercepted a 37-year-old father of three children going to China for inserting seven wraps of cocaine weighing 355 grammes inside his anus.

Both suspects were going to Saudi and China respectively where drug trafficking is punishable by death.

Hamisu Lawan, NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport said that the female suspect was still under observation until she expelled all the ingested pellets of drugs.

According to Hamisu, “Mrs Binuyo was arrested during the outward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight to Medina through Dubai. She has so far excreted seventy-six (76) pellets of drugs that tested positive for cocaine. Meanwhile, she is still under observation until the drugs are completely expelled”.

According to NDLEA, Mrs. Binuyo hails from Irepodun local government area of Kwara State. She is married with three children and a trader at Dosumu market, Lagos.

Mrs. Binuyo in her statement agreed to smuggling the drugs for a fee.

“I wanted to expand my cosmetic business but I have no money. My sponsor offered to foot my expenses to Saudi on pilgrimage.

“I was excited until I was asked to take drugs along. I wanted to decline but considering the offer of a million naira, I accepted.

“I swallowed the drugs in Lagos and took flight to Abuja on my way to Medina but I was caught in the process” she stated.

The other suspect was found to have inserted seven wraps of cocaine weighing 355 grammes inside his anus at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. He was apprehended during outward screening of passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight to China enroute Hong Kong through Addis Ababa.

Ahmadu Garba, NDLEA commander at the airport said that the suspect who hails from Imo State holds a dual citizenship of Nigeria and Mali.

He said, “An arrest has been made of a suspect travelling to Hong Kong, China. He hails from Imo State but was travelling with a Malian international passport. The name on his passport is Diara Sauduo while his Nigerian name is Okpalanem Henry. The case is under investigation”.

The suspect who did not show any form of remorse over his crime said, “I know that there is capital punishment for Drug trafficking in China but I was optimistic of safe passage. Unfortunately, I was caught with only seven wraps. Maybe that is my destiny. I am married with three children”.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd) however expressed satisfaction with the arrests stating that it was a result of diligence and vigilance.

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