By Kenneth Ehigiator

LAGOS — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested, for drug trafficking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a telecommunications manager who said she was desperate to save her sick mother from death.

Beside her arrest, the agency also apprehended three others for trying to take hard drugs outside the country.

The suspect, Ms. Igbokwe Ifunanya, was nabbed at the airport while attempting to smuggle to London aboard a British Airways flight 70 wraps of cocaine, which she ingested.

The anti-drug agency faulted her claim, saying the 29-year-old computer engineering graduate of Enugu State University of Science and Technology was a member of drug syndicate who used her job as a cover.

Ifunanya had said in her confessional statement:  “My mother is sick and in critical condition. Her sight is failing and has been diagnosed of partial stroke. I have been solely responsible for her medical bills.”

“When I could no longer settle the bills and the condition is getting worst, I began running around for help when I fell into the people that introduced me into drugs.

“This is my first time. If only I knew, I would have discussed with my best friend but I was warned not to tell anyone.”

But NDLEA Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar, said the agency’s investigation revealed that the suspect was working for a syndicate and travelled to London on vacation in March 2010 for that purpose.

According to him, the suspect had already been paid £2000 with a promise for more money upon delivery of the drug.

Umar gave the names of other drug suspects arrested as Okolli Anthony, 45, Edehen Efosa, 32, Olebunne Ndubisi, 35 and Ndubisi Tochukwu, 30.

He said apart from Ndubisi Tochukwu that wanted to export 1.500kg of cannabis to China, others ingested various quantities of substances suspected to be cocaine.