Ibeh and Onwurah |
Two suspects, Emeka Ibeh and Chinedu Onwurah,
were recently apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,
with 6.435kg of narcotics. Both suspects were arrested by officials of the
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
NDLEA Abuja Airport Commander, Hamisu Lawan,
confirming the arrests, said 32-year-old Ibeh was caught with 5.200kg of
substances found to be methamphetamine hidden inside his luggage, while
Onwurah, also of the same age, had ingested 1.235kg of substances that tested
positive to cocaine.
The suspects, regretting their actions, told CRIME
DIGEST how the search for greener pastures led them into drug trafficking.
Ibeh reportedly left Nigeria in 2005 after his secondary education to Guinea
Bissau and returned to Nigeria last January after a fruitless search for
fortune.
The Anambra State native said, “When I left the
country in 2005, I thought everything would be rosy. Unfortunately, this was
never the case. I suffered hardship until my return to the country in January
this. I now live in Lagos where I sell ladies’ clothes to earn a living. It was
in Lagos that I met an old friend I knew in Guinea Bissau.
“He told me he was now an importer. During our
discussion, he promised to make me one of his managers, managing his business
in India. The agreement was for me to take a bag to India for $2,500 with all
expenses paid. I was on my first trip when the methamphetamine was discovered
in the bag he gave me.”
Onwurah, on his own part, ended up in an Algerian
border detention facility while trying to cross into Europe.
He said, “I wanted to go to Europe in
search of better job opportunities. Unfortunately for me, I was detained at the
border detention facility in Algeria. I could not regain my freedom; I was
totally at the mercy of the officials and had to rely on them for water and
food.
“I remained there until a Nigerian man came and
assisted me to regain my freedom. He bought me a plane ticket back to Nigeria;
I was so grateful that I felt I owed him my life. When he asked me to smuggle
drugs to enable him raise enough capital for me to settle down, I was glad to
accept his offer. I did not even negotiate with him because of what he had done
for me.”
Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, urged
members of the public to be self-driven and identify opportunities in their
environment.
He said, “I want members of the public to
support the campaign against drug trafficking. The story of these drug suspects
is very sad. It is a warning that people should look before they leap. There
are numerous opportunities in this country and I urge members of the public to
shun drug trafficking.”
The Punch
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