How drug suspects ingested 233 wraps of cocaine, by NDLEA

Police arrest 11 pipeline vandals 

THREE suspected drug traffickers are being interrogated for swallowing 233 wraps of powder substances that tested positive for cocaine with a weight of 5.05kg. Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) apprehended the suspects during outward screening of passengers.

Two of the suspects, Obiekwe Frank Chuma and Okoye Jacob Okwuchukwu were travelling to Hong Kong while Chukwunyere Prince Emmanuel was caught on his way to Italy.

Meanwhile, men of the Inspector General of Police’s Special Task Force on Pipeline Vandalism have arrested 11 suspected vandals including Managing Directors of three petrol stations in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

The Guardian gathered that four trucks loaded with 115,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as fuel, were recovered from the vandals during their arrest.

NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar gave a breakdown of the seized drugs. “Obiekwe Frank Chuma, 47 years old who ingested 80 wraps weighing 1.930kg during screening of Emirates passengers; Okoye Jacob Okwuchukwu, 43 years old was found to have ingested 70 wraps weighing 1.515kg during screening of passengers on an Etihad flight while Chukwunyere Prince Emmanuel, 39 years old ingested 83 wraps weighing 1.605kg.

Prince was going to Bologna in Italy through Frankfurt on Lufthansa. They have voluntarily recorded their statements and our investigators are working on their cases” Hamza stated.

Obiekwe Frank Chuma said that he used to be a textile merchant before he suffered financial setback. “I lost my father when I was at Merchant of Light Secondary School between 1983 and 1988.

I was given admission at Edo State University but dropped out in 300 level due to lack of sponsorship. In 1997, I came to Lagos and started textile business.

Later I began to buy my goods from Czech Republic and Hong Kong before my business suffered serious setback. In the process of looking for assistance, I was introduced into drug trafficking.

I was given the drug in a restaurant at Onitsha and they promised to pay me 10,000 dollars. It took me eight hours to swallow the drugs but was arrested at the airport,” Obiekwe said. He hails from Anambra State.

Okoye Jacobs Okwuchukwu said that he met his sponsor at a wedding ceremony. “I have a Diploma in Computer Science at the Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Enugu.

I used to import textiles from Dubai and Hong Kong. My business was flourishing and I have travelled to Hong Kong over 15 times. I later had problem that took my capital and I was stranded.

That was what led me into drug trafficking. I was forced to swallow drugs for many hours in order to continue with my textile business. They promised to pay me over a million naira,” Okoye stated.

He hails from Anambra State. Chukwunyere Prince Emmanuel said that he smuggled drugs to settle his bills. In his words, “I am a business man. I supply teaching materials.

Armed robbers attacked me and I lost one of my eyes in the process. As I speak, I owe over 15 million naira. am unable to pay my rent, my children’s school fees and even feeding. I have no rest of mind because my creditors are on my neck daily. This is my first time of trafficking drugs and I was promised 4,000 euros.”

He hails from Imo State. The Commander of the Task Force Olumese Valentine, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) told newsmen that the Managing Directors, who were identified as Lukman Onabanjo, Lukman Eluku, and Lukman Smith, said in their statements that they were not aware that products they purchased were siphoned from vandalized NNPC pipeline, while a suspected vandal, Solomon Afolabi, who has sold over four trucks to Gaffy Petrol Station confessed that the director and the manager of the petrol station were aware that the product he sold to them was tapped from vandalized pipeline.

30-year-old Solomon, who is a resident of Ishawo in Agric Area of Ikorodu newsmen that he is a marketer and that his job was to scout for fillings stations that are interested in buying PMS from vandals.