N72m cocaine seized at Lagos airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has seized
364 wraps of high- grade Brazilian cocaine, weighing
6.490kg and valued at N72m.
The NDLEA Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju,
said on Monday that the seizure was made at the
Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
He added that a 32-year-old suspect, Francis Bawaba,
was arrested in connection with the discovery which
was made during the inward screening of passengers on
an Etihad flight.
The wraps of cocaine were said to have been prepared
for ingestion and hidden inside Bawaba’s hand luggage.
NDLEA Lagos Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar,
also confirmed the arrest.
He said, “Our investigation has revealed that the suspect
took off from Malpensa, Milan. Bawaba picked up the
drug while on transit at Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates.
“He has given us very useful information that we are
already working on.”
Lamenting the hardship his arrest would portend for his
pregnant wife and children, Bawaba said, “This is my
first time of smuggling drugs. I was lured with an offer
of N3.3m.
“I formerly worked in construction sites in Madrid
where I was based; that was how I earned a living.
“Since the global economic meltdown, it has been
difficult securing a job. I collected the drug while at
Abu Dhabi on my way from Milan. It never occurred to
me that I could be caught in Nigeria.”
Bawaba said he had planned to invest N3.3m which
had been promised him as payment, in business.
The father of two added, “I have been unable to eat
since my arrest because I don’t know how my pregnant
wife and kids will cope without my financial support.”
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Mr.
Ahmadu Giade, said the agency would continue to seek
the maximum penalty for drug-trafficking offences.
He said, “The essence of punishment is to correct the
offender and deter people from indulging in a crime.
“Drug trafficking demands stiffer punishment to serve
as a deterrent because of the high profit it generates.