‘N15m debt, losing eye to robbers led me into drug trafficking’

One of the three men arrested for drug trafficking by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA), has revealed that N15 million debt and an eye blinded by armed robbers, led him to cocaine trafficking.

 The suspect, Chukwunyere Prince Emmanuel 39, was arrested along with Obiekwe Frank Chuma 47, and Okoye Jacob Okwuchukwu 43.

 Emmanuel explained that his mounting debts and bills made him to take to drug trafficking. He said that he used to sell school materials before armed turned his day to darkness.

His words: “I’m a business man. I used to supply teaching materials until armed robbers attacked me and I lost one of my eyes in the process. As I speak, I owe over N15 million. I’m unable to pay my rent, my children’s school fees and even feeding. I have no rest of mind because my creditors are on my neck daily. This is my first time of trafficking drugs and I was promised 4,000 euros.”

NDLEA spokesman, Mitchel Ofoyeju, said that the number of wraps of cocaine the three suspects swallowed and later excreted were 233, weighing 5.05kg.

 

Ofoyeju said: “The suspects were apprehended during outward screening of passengers by NDLEA at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA). Two of the suspects, Chuma and Okwuchukwu were going to Hong Kong, while Emmanuel was caught on his way to Italy.”   

 

NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar said: “Chuma, who ingested 80 wraps weighing 1.930kg, was arrested during screening of Emirates passengers. Okwuchukwu was found to have ingested 70 wraps weighing 1.515kg during screening of passengers on an Etihad flight while Emmanuel, ingested 83 wraps weighing 1.605kg. Prince was going to Bologna in Italy through Frankfurt on Lufthansa. They have voluntarily recorded their statements and our investigators are working on their cases.”

 

Chuma said that he used to be a textile merchant before he suffered financial setback.

His words: “I lost my father when I was at Merchant of Light Secondary School between 1983 and 1988. I was given admission at Edo State University but dropped out in 300 levels due to lack of sponsorship. In 1997, I came to Lagos and started textile business. Later, I began to buy my goods from Czech Republic and Hong Kong before my business suffered serious setback. In the process of looking for assistance, I was introduced into drug trafficking.  I was given the drug in a restaurant at Onitsha and they promised to pay me 10,000 dollars. It took me eight hours to swallow the drugs but was arrested at the airport.”

 

Stating his own side of the story, Okuchukwu said that he met his sponsor at a wedding ceremony.

He added: “I have a Diploma in Computer Science at the Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Enugu. I used to import textiles from Dubai and Hong Kong. My business was flourishing and I have travelled to Hong Kong over 15 times. I later had problem that took my capital and I was stranded. That was what led me into drug trafficking. I was forced to swallow drugs for many hours in order to continue with my textile business. They promised to pay me over a million naira.”