The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Nigerian woman based in Brazil, Mrs. Anita Ugochinyere Ogbonna, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, for allegedly concealing 100 pellets of cocaine in her private part and handbag.
NDLEA spkesman Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that the mother of three was arrested on Friday night on arrival in Abuja via Qatar Air from Sao Paulo, Brazil through Doha.
He said upon a search, 12 wraps of cocaine inserted in her private part were extracted while another 88 pellets stuffed in socks were discovered hidden in her handbag.
“During interrogation, Mrs. Ogbonna who is a mother of three children, all resident in Brazil, claimed she lost her husband three years ago. She confessed she decided to traffic the illicit drug to raise money for the burial of her father scheduled for 22nd July in Imo State. She said one Emeka, alias KC, also based in Brazil, gave her the drug to deliver in Nigeria for a fee of $3,000. She said she pushed the wraps of cocaine into her private part after her attempts to swallow the pellets failed.
“The suspect who owns a shop where she sells African foodstuff in Brazil further claimed she had to drop her three young children with a Kenyan lady who is her neighbour in Brazil before she embarked on the quick-money-journey,” the statement read.
Babafemi also said 500g of ketamine, 500grams of methamphetamine, and various other prohibited drugs were intercepted by NDLEA officials.
Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), has advised travellers and others using the terminal to observe the rules guiding picking up and dropping off passengers at the terminal.
The rules, according to BASL, are aimed at restoring sanity to the Drop-Off Zone area of the terminal, and also part of the strategy to ensure that safety and security of all terminal users are not subjected to undue risk.
In a statement signed by the Group Corporate Affairs Manager of BASL, Mr. Mikail Mumuni, the terminal operator said a number of factors necessitated the resolve to enforce the rules regarding the original design of the terminal.
Explaining further, he said the Drop-Off Zone was designed to cater for out-bound passengers and other terminal users only while in-bound or arriving passengers are meant to use the Arrival parking area and the Multi-Storey Car Park, stressing that both outbound and inbound passengers were not meant to cross paths.
He said BASL is focused on ensuring passenger safety.