BY LAWANI MIKAIRU
LAGOS — Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a 36-year-old Nigerian living in South Africa for trafficking 2.390kg of methamphetamine.

The arrest was made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during the screening of Arik Air passengers to South Africa.

According to Ofoyeju Mitchell, Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, during interrogation, the suspect, Otti Ifeanyi Raphael, told investigators that he came to Nigeria for prayers for business breakthrough.

He said: “I came to Nigeria for prayers for business breakthrough but was asked to bring a bag to South Africa by my sponsor.

“I sell phone accessories in South Africa but my business has suffered heavy setback. This was the reason I came home to seek spiritual solution. Unfortunately, I was caught with drugs on my way to South Africa.”

NDLEA commander at the airport, Hamza Umar, said the drug was detected at the luggage checking desk.

According to Hamza, “the drug was concealed at both sides of the bag. It was a good mode of concealment but not good enough to escape our notice. We have commenced investigation, the suspect will be charged to court for unlawful exportation.”

The suspect, a diploma holder in Business Administration at the Federal Polytechnic Oko hails from AnambraState. He had lived in Johannesburg for over 11 years.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade, said  drug traffickers now have an uphill task of smuggling drugs out of the country due to improved security checks.

“We shall prevent drug traffickers from using the country as a transit point for drug trafficking. Efforts are ongoing towards making our exit and entry points more impregnable to drug barons” Giade assured.