XMAS DRUG: SOUTH AFRICAN LADY EXCRETES 55 WRAPS IN LAGOS

By NBF News

A South African lady, who ingested hard drugs for onward 'export' to Malaysia, has been apprehended by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

The suspect, 38-year-old Nene Fikile Happy-Girl, was going through screening at the departure hall when she suddenly held her tummy and screamed to see a doctor immediately.

Rather than take her to the doctor immediately, the anti-narcotic officials rushed her first to the dreaded 3-D scanner before granting her request.

The scanner revealed that she ingested some drugs later discovered to be methamphetamine.

She could no longer board the Emirates flight to Malaysia and under observation she excreted 55 wraps of methamphetamine that weighed 700 grams.

According to the Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, the suspect, unlike others, gave up herself when she could no longer bear the pain.

Preliminary investigation, Hamzar said, revealed that she travelled to Malaysia from South Africa. It was in Malaysia that she was recruited to smuggle drugs from Cotonou in neighbouring Benin Republic where she ingested the substance.

In her confessional statement, the single mother said that she wanted to make life better for her 19-year-old daughter.

'I am a single mother and I trade to take care of myself and daughter. I visited my friend in Malaysia and it was there I was convinced into coming to Cotonou to collect the drugs. They gave me the drugs in my hotel room and I forced myself to ingest the wraps,' she said.

It was gathered that the original plan was for the suspect to use the airport at Benin Republic but she was diverted to Lagos.

'I was asked to go through Lagos. My desire to give my only child the best education made me to engage in drug trafficking. This is my first time and I was scared of death. I reported myself when I was feeling acute pain in my stomach,' Nene stated.

The South African embassy, Hamzar noted, has been contacted and that some officials had visited her.

The anti-drug agency hinted that she will soon be charged to court in Nigeria.

The NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade, has ordered investigation into the case.

Since she was given the drug in Cotonou, the investigation may be carried out under the West Africa Joint Operations (WAJO), which is an umbrella body of anti-drug operatives in the sub-region.

According to Giade, 'we hope to dismantle the drug cell that sponsored the suspect. I cannot rule out the possibility of a joint operation since two countries are involved. Certainly no stone shall be left unturned in this case,' he added.

The NDLEA boss also expressed concern over the rate at which drug traffickers smuggle drugs into Malaysia in spite of the death penalty for drug offences in that country.