Less than two weeks a 37-year-old Nigerian,
Chijioke Obioha was executed in Singapore for smuggling drugs, officials
of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala
Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos have prevented the execution
of another 38- year-old man, Augustine Uchenna from execution in China
on drug related offences.
An official statement signed by the Head Public Affairs of
NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju stated that the suspect who sells safety
equipment at Lagos Island was caught attempting to smuggle 10.275kg of
cannabis to China where drug trafficking attracts death penalty.
“The drug was detected during the outward screening of passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight to China”, the agency informed.
NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmadu Garba said that the
drug was hidden inside foodstuff like garri, bitter leaf, bitter cola
and other spices.
Garba said “it was a normal search operation during the
screening of passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight to China when
10.275kgs of cannabis was detected inside foodstuff. The owner of the
bag was immediately arrested and case is under investigation”.
According to NDLEA, the suspect,during interrogation, said
that he was not aware that drug trafficking is punishable by death in
China. “My friend in China promised to pay me six hundred thousand naira
to take 10.275kgs of cannabis to China. This is my first time of
smuggling drugs and I never knew that drug trafficking is punishable by
death in China. I import safety equipment and I have been going to
China to buy my goods since 2011. The economic recession affected my
business that I find it hard to pay for my rent. This was what led me
into drug trafficking” Uchenna was quoted to have said.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col Muhammad
Abdallah (retd) said that countries with death penalty had been
classified as high risk routes.
“The Agency is taking measures to improve narcotic
screening at the airports. All countries with death penalty for drug
trafficking and source countries are high risk destinations. Efforts are
also ongoing to promote public health and security. It is gratifying
that this arrest was made here thereby preventing the suspect from death
penalty in China. Let me use this opportunity to call on stakeholders
not to relent in advocacy and drug abuse preventive education. Nigeria
is making steady progress in the campaign and I urge you all to remain
steadfast”, Abdallah said.
Abdallah also called on individuals to consider the
interest of their family members and the society before indulging in
criminal acts capable of sending them to early graves.
The narcotics agency added that the suspect who hails from
Enugu State; married with three children will be arraigned in court
soon.
Leadership
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