The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested an alleged human trafficker, Matthew Bassey, who concealed 50 parcels of cannabis in food items of an orphan, Peter Eno, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Matthew Bassey and Peter Eno Arrested by NDLEA
The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said the illicit drug which weighs 2.80kilograms was planted into Eno’s luggage by 29-year-old Bassey.
Babafemi said the drug was bound for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) before Eno was intercepted at the airport due to “discrepancies between the age she declared and the date of birth on her international passport”.
The statement reads, “Bassey, 29, from Oron LGA, Akwa Ibom State, was arrested on Wednesday, 6th July, following the interception of Eno at the departure hall of the Lagos airport.
“When Eno’s luggage was searched, 50 parcels of cannabis (2.80kg) concealed in food items were discovered. There were discrepancies between the age she declared and the date of birth on her international passport.
“Further interview reveals that the human trafficker, who recruited and brought her to the airport, Bassey, was still lurking around the airport, waiting for her departure.
“He was promptly tracked and arrested. Investigations showed that the victim, who hails from the same Oron LGA of Akwa Ibom like Bassey recently lost her mother. This made it easy for Bassey to recruit her with the promise of securing her a job in Dubai, UAE.
“It was further discovered that the recruiter leveraged on the victim’s naivety and planted drugs in her bag for onward delivery to his contact in Dubai.”
Babafemi said the NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, commended the officers of the MMIA command for staying vigilant and proactive in their areas of responsibility, charging them and their colleagues across the country not to rest on their oars.
How human trafficker recruited orphan to export drug to Dubai
. As NDLEA intercepts father of one travelling by road to Algeria, excretes 47 wraps of cocaine pic.twitter.com/QUMLpqyYON
— NDLEA NIGERIA (@ndlea_nigeria) July 10, 2022
KanyiDaily had also reported how the NDLEA has arrested the General Overseer of Christ Living Hope Church, Rev. Ugochukwu Emmanuel Ekwem, for alleged drug trafficking.
