NDLEA arrests drug trafficker with 59 wraps of heroin

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 23-year-old drug trafficker, Okoguale Doughlas who excreted 59 wraps of heroin weighing 781.2 grammes, following his arrest at the Nnamdi Azikwe International airport, while trying to board a Milan, Italy bound flights.

The agency revealed that Doughlas, who hails from Uromi in Esan North East local government area of Edo state, was arrested during an outward clearance of Ethiopian airtime flight number 910 at the boarding gate of the airport enroute Abuja-Addis Ababa-Milan (Italy) after being scanned, which proved positive for ingestion. 

During interrogation, Doughlas claimed to have been residing in Italy since 2011 after entering the country via Libya with one of the uncles. He said that he works as a restaurant attendant in Italy where he earns 900 euro per month and works as a painter on his free days, earning about 400 euro upon completion of any work. 

He confessed to have been promised the sum of 2000 euro if he successfully delivered the drug to Milan, Italy. 

Douglas said that he came to Nigeria on April 4, 2021 for the burial of his late father in Esan, Edo state and after spending so much during the burial, he ran out of money, which led him to ask for financial support from one of his Nigerian friends residing in Italy. 

The agency revealed that he claimed that his friend then told him he would send him money on the ground that he will collect a consignment for him from one other friend of his informed Nigeria. 

However, he claimed that he was called by a man on Thursday April 29, 2021, and asked him to come down to Abuja where he was picked up by two other unknown men from Utako area and lodged in a hotel which he said that he doesn't know the address. 

Commander, NAIA command of the agency, Kabir Sani Tankuwa said that efforts were still ongoing to unravel other suspects connected to the crime. 

Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the officers and officers of the airport command for their resilience, charging them as well as their counterparts across the country to remain vigilant especially with the coming holidays to ensure that no single gramme of illicit drugs is smuggled in or out of Nigeria. 

He assured that their welfare remains a priority.