A 47-year-old man, Chigbogu Ernest Obiora, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Obiora excreted 97 wraps of a substance that tested positive to cocaine with a total weight of 1.55kg.
According to Femi Babafemi, Spokesperson for the NDLEA, the 47 wraps of cocaine excreted by the suspect has a street value of N360 million.
“He was arrested about 1:16 pm on Sunday, April 25, 2021, during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline.
He had arrived Lagos onboard the airline from Entebbe, Uganda via Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia,” Babafemi said.
The Commander of the NDLEA at the airport, Ahmadu Garba said, Obiora was intercepted in the E-arrival hall of the airport by the operatives of the agency on the suspicion that he ingested a drug substance.
“The suspect was taken for body machine scan and the result was positive for ingestion of substance suspected to be an illicit drug. The suspect was promptly moved to the NDLEA excretion/observation facility.”
Barely an hour after he was arrested, Obiora was said to have excreted 31 wraps of cocaine weighing 500grammes and another 47 wraps (750 grammes) in the evening of same day while 19 wraps (300 grammes) were excreted the following day, Monday, April 26, bringing the total to 97 wraps, that is, 1.55kg.
The suspect during interrogation revealed that he was promised $1,500 if he successfully trafficked the drugs, adding that he opted for the deal because he needed money.
“I did it so that I will be capable of feeding my family. I was living in Madagascar but due to the COVID-19 and the lockdown in the country, I couldn’t go back to my place of work.
“There was a time I started lacking money to feed my family and to pay my children’s school fees and the worst part of it is to pay my rent. So, I decided to take the option to do it,” he said.
Obiora reportedly said he never knew he could be arrested while stating that he has never met the real owner of the drug.
“I don’t know him, they contacted me on phone and asked if I can do the business,” he claimed.
The NDLEA in the same release revealed the Ondo State Command raided two joints, arrested two dealers, and seized 80.2 kilogrammes of skuchies.
Four hectares of cannabis farms was also destroyed in the Eleyewo area of Akure south local government.
The acting commander of the agency in the state, Callys Alumona said a lady, 31-year-old Ibukunoluwa Kemi, and a 25-year-old young man, Oluwaseun Sunday were arrested with 78kg and 2.2kg of skuchies respectively.
Both suspects were nabbed at different areas in Akure South, the state capital.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa commended officers and men of the MMIA and Ondo State Command of the Agency for the seizure and arrest.
