Date: 2016-09-03

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

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

He disclosed that at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA) Lagos, officials also intercepted a 37-year-old father of three children for inserting seven wraps of cocaine weighing 355 grammes inside his anus. According to him, the Lagos suspect was going to China.

NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport, Hamisu Lawan said that the female suspect is still under observation until she expels all the ingested pellets of drugs. The statement said Mrs. Binuyo, a mother of three children and trader at the Dosumu market, Lagos, hails from Irepodun local government area of Kwara State. In her statement, she agreed to smuggling of 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."

The other suspect was apprehended during outward screening of passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight to China reroute Hong Kong through Addis Ababa. Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd) expressed satisfaction with the arrests stating that it is a result of diligence and vigilance.