The Moment (London)
Anthony Awunor
3 December 2011
TWO drug suspects arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Okonkwo John Martins Ebuka, 21 and Ajaekwe Chinedu Charles, 31, vomited and excreted no fewer than 137 wraps of methamphetamine from their systems.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a statement Friday, signed by Ofoyeju Mitchell, head, Public Affairs of the agency, quoting Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, said, ‘Immediately they tested positive for drugs, officers were taking them for documentation when Okonkwo openly vomited two wraps of drugs he ingested.’
The statement said, ‘While under observation, he excreted 45 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 800 grammes.
Ajaekwe Chinedu excreted a total of 88 wraps also of methamphetamine weighing 1.125kg’.
Also, it was revealed that Okonkwor is among two Malaysia bound passengers who tested positive for drug ingestion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The suspects brazenly disregarded the death penalty for drug trafficking in Malaysia but they were lucky to have been arrested while attempting to board Emirate and Qatar flights at the airport.
Ebuka who vomited two wraps of substances that tested positive for methamphetamine sells generator parts at Trade Fair complex, Ojo, Lagos.
The suspect who was to board an Emirate flight to Malaysia told investigators that he wanted to increase his capital.
‘I sell generator parts at Trade Fair Complex Ojo, Lagos. My business is not growing and I have no helper so I decided to increase my capital through drug smuggling.’
‘I actually begged to be recruited as a trafficker. Initially they doubted my ability to smuggle the drugs but when I insisted they then considered me.
This is my first time and they promised to pay me 4,000 dollars. The drug was causing pain in my stomach and I could not control myself.
I vomited some of the drugs,’ Okonkwo who hails from Eziagu in Enugu stated.
In a similar vein, Ajaekwe was to board Qatar airline flight to Malaysia when he tested positive for drug ingestion.
He ingested 88 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 1.125kg. Ajaekwe who claimed to be studying English language in Malaysia, attributed his involvement in drug trafficking to financial hardship, hails from Oru in Imo State.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency, Ahmadu Giade said the agency would continue to prevent drug trafficking and protect the image of the country.
‘Drug trafficking attracts death penalty in Malaysia. We are happy to have stopped these suspects.
Their action is simply suicidal and the trend is becoming worrisome. However, we shall intensify efforts to prevent cases of drug trafficking in the country’ he stated.
Both of them will be charged to court soon.
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