Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have
arrested two grandmothers for trying to unlawfully export narcotic drugs
to New York, United States and Medina, Saudi Arabia.
The suspects allegedly ingested one hundred and eight (108) wraps of
substances that tested positive for heroin and cocaine during outward
screening of passengers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport
(MMIA) Lagos.
The grandmothers blamed their involvement in drug trafficking on financial hardship.
According to the NDLEA, the preliminary investigation revealed that
this was the first time a grandmother of 60 years will ingest a whopping
eighty-three wraps of narcotics.
In addition, the second suspect was going to Saudi Arabia where drug trafficking attracts capital punishment.
In addition, the second suspect was going to Saudi Arabia where drug trafficking attracts capital punishment.
Her timely arrest at the Lagos airport by the Nigerian anti-narcotics
officers have saved her from the ordeals of painful and ignoble death
in a foreign country.
NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba gave the names of
the suspected drug traffickers as Adebayo Ebunoluwa Mercy, 60, found to
have ingested eighty-three wraps of heroin weighing 1.105kg on her way
to the United States and Amodu Ayisat Grace, 59, that ingested
twenty-five (25) wraps of cocaine weighing 275 grammes on her way to
Saudi Arabia.
According to Ahmadu, “Adebayo Ebunoluwa Mercy was arrested while
boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight to New York while Amodu Ayisat Grace
was caught trying to board an Ethiopian airline flight on her way to
Medina, Saudi Arabia. The cases are under investigation”.
Adebayo Ebunoluwa who sells provision at Ikorodu, Lagos but hails
from Kogi State, said that drug trafficking was an afterthought saying:
“I am a divorcee selling provisions for survival. Things became rough
and tough for me when I lost my capital due to family problems. It has
been my dream to travel to the United States in search of greener
pastures. My involvement in drug trafficking was an afterthought. My
intention when I got my visa last year was to go and work to take care
of my needs without being a burden to anyone.
Everything changed suddenly when I met an old friend at a party. They
took care of my travel expenses and gave me three thousand dollars with
a promise to assist me secure a job in the United States. It was few
hours to my journey that they brought the drugs for me to swallow. They
said that it was my contribution for the kindness and money spent on my
trip but it turned out to be my biggest mistake”.
Amodu Ayisat Grace, born in Lagos State, told investigators that as a
Muslim she was glad to travel to Saudi Arabia but her journey
terminated at the NDLEA office saying: “I was happy when they offered to
sponsor my trip to Saudi Arabia but I never knew it will end in my
detention. I sell fufu (staple food from cassava) to take care of my
four children as a widow and this has been very challenging. They
enticed me with a visit to Saudi Arabia and a handsome reward and I fell
for the trick. I only swallowed 25 wraps of the drug. Unfortunately I
could not get to Saudi Arabia because of my arrest”.
Reacting, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Colonel Muhammad
Mustapha Abdallah (retd) said it was shocking and shameful for
grandmothers to be involved in drug trafficking.
“This move by drug cartels to recruit grandmothers as mules is very
disturbing, shocking and shameful. The moral emptiness exhibited by the
suspects must be condemned by all. A situation where grandmothers have
become a bad influence on their children and grandchildren is highly
regrettable” Abdallah declared.
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