A widower, Ariyibi Ahmed Olaseinde and a divorcee, Akanbi Silifat Tunrayo who were going for lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos for attempting to export 14.4 kilograms of cocaine concealed in lace and ankara fabrics.
Ariyibi was intercepted on Thursday 20th April at the screening point of MMIA Terminal 2 during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers travelling from Lagos via Doha to Medina, Saudi Arabia. When his carry-on bag was checked, four sets of white lace material with linings of substance that tested positive to Cocaine weighing 11.50kg were discovered.
The suspect who claimed to be a widower and an advertising practitioner said his original plan was to ingest the drugs but had to change his mind after failed attempts to swallow bitter cola, which he was using to practice the process. He is expected to be paid One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,800,000) upon successful delivery of the consignment in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
The previous day, Wednesday 19th April, NDLEA officers at the Terminal 2 of the airport also arrested Mrs. Silifat Tunrayo Akanbi with 2.90kg cocaine during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers from Lagos via Doha to Jedda, Saudi Arabia. A search of her hand luggage led to the discovery of six sheets of cocaine weighing 2.90kg concealed in ankara fabrics.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a divorcee and a trader who used to hawk cloths around Awoyaya area of Ajah, Lagos. Based on information in her statement, a follow up operation that lasted through the night into the early hours of Thursday 20th April was carried out, during which the person who recruited her, Alhaji Adebayo Adeola Wasiu was arrested at No 28, Olateju Street, Mushin, Lagos. Adebayo is the managing director of B&T Travel Agency.
In the same vein, NDLEA officers attached to courier companies have intercepted two drug consignments consisting of ecstasy and skunk going to United Arab Emirate. While the pills of ecstasy were concealed in a gold colour wedding gown, the skunk was hidden in a micro controller.
This is even as a 400-level Marine Engineering student at the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa state, Kelvin Ogenedoro has been arrested for dealing in 600grams of skunk. He was nabbed at the universitys gate in a follow up operation following the interception of the consignment in a commercial bus along Tombia-Amassoma road.
