Saidat Hassan, a 48-year-old businesswoman who deals in clothing materials, survived what could have led to her death on Friday, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Hassan was said to suddenly fallen sick and vomited fifteen wraps of white powdery substances which subsequently tested positive for cocaine.
After NDLEA officials ascertained that Hassan was vomiting cocaine, she was placed her under observation till she excreted 65 more wraps.
The incident was said to have taken place at the central screening section of the departure hall during the screening of passengers on an Egypt Airline flight to Jidda, Saudi Arabia en-route Cairo.
Spokesperson of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, while commenting on the incident, stated that: “She was immediately apprehended by NDLEA officers, who later discovered that she had ingested 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 904 grammes.”
In her statement, she said: “I buy my goods from Ghana. I was introduced into the drug business by a friend and business partner. The drug was brought from Abidjan, Ivory Coast and we were supposed to share the proceeds equally.”
“Until my arrest, I never knew that the cocaine I ingested could have led to my death in Saudi Arabia. I thank God for keeping me alive.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col. Mohammad Abdallah (retd.) directed that she must be duly prosecuted.
“A mother of three children swallowing cocaine is the height of parental ineptitude. I am glad that she did not die from drug ingestion and she is alive to face trial. This arrest has also saved her because drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia, her final destination, is punishable by death.”
“I expect the general public to draw lessons from this case that drug trafficking leads to immeasurable pain, ignominy and untimely death.”
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