Emirates flight makes emergency landing in Lagos due to passengers' cocaine ingestion

By The Citizen

An Emirates flight EK 262 from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Dubai, United Arab Emirates was Saturday forced to make an emergency landing in Lagos due to the deteriorating health condition of passengers believed to have ingested cocaine.

After screening by anti-narcotic officials four other passengers are currently under interrogation after testing positive to drug ingestion.

One of the suspects was immediately hospitalised as doctors battle to save his life. Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) who said that the suspect is responding to treatment called for stiffer penalty against drug trafficking. NDLEA commander at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, Mr. Ahmadu Garba said that the Emirates flight left Sao Paulo, Brazil to Dubai but was forced to come to Lagos due to the health condition of a passenger on board who ingested cocaine.

'A passenger complained of severe abdominal pains and later suffered three recurrent seizures thus necessitating an emergency landing in Lagos.

'Upon arrival, four other passengers tested positive for narcotic ingestion. They are Okeh Desmond, Ezeanya Nnaemeka, Christopher Nonso and Chibusi Promise. All the suspects are under observation' Garba stated.