by Azubuike Azikiwe
Chike Pauline, a 40-year-old patent medicine dealer has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, with one kilogramme of substance suspected to be methamphetamine.
The suspect was arrested during the outward screening of passengers on Rwanda Air flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday, 21 October.
According to the NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, the suspect was discovered to be travelling to Bujumbura, Burundi.
While making a confession, the suspect said he engaged in drugs smuggling in order to pay for his wedding in December, while also pleading with the officials of the Agency not to confine him until after his wedding ceremony.
Chike said, “I am a patent medicine dealer in Aba, Abia State. My arrest is very unfortunate because I am a hardworking person. I was deceived into drug trafficking because I was desperate to perform my marriage ceremony by the end of the year. I was optimistic that I will not be arrested, but things did not go according to my expectation.”
“What must I do to set myself free from this predicament?” he asked.
The Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said Chike’s arrest would deter prospective drug dealers to shy away from the practice.
He said, “The arrest of Chike will serve as a warning to others that they will ultimately be caught with drugs and prosecuted. It does not matter if the trafficker is going to other African countries or outside the continent; we are prepared to intercept all drugs. I urge members of the public to support the agency’s drug control efforts.”
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