Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 36-year-old lady, Chioma Afam, who uses multiple identities and wears a hijab to evade security scrutiny and her partner, Peace Chidinma Caleb, 22, for trying to smuggle 296,000 tablets of Diazepam and Exol-5 from Onitsha in Anambra state to Gombe State.
A statement issued by NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi disclose that the two suspects were intercepted in Benue state.
“Chioma who uses multiple names such as Amina, Uzoamaka and Ifunaya to cover her criminal activities was arrested on Saturday 17th July 2021, along with the 22-year-old Peace Chidinma Caleb who also wears a hijab as a cover for her nefarious activities during routine checks and profiling of inward vehicles into Makurdi.
“The vehicle which was coming from Onitsha in Anambra State was intercepted along Makurdi – Alliade road while heading to Gombe State via Makurdi,” he said.
Babafemi stated that when their vehicle was searched, the agency operatives discovered of 43kilograms of Diazepam and 33kg of Exol-5, both weighing 76 kilograms with 296,000 tablets packed in four large ‘Ghana must go’ bags.
Curiously, the two interstate drug traffickers were said to have rebuffed efforts to take their pictures with the exhibits without wearing their hijab.
Reacting to the seizure and arrest, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA commended the commanders, officers and men of the Benue Commands of the agency for their efforts to ensure that no illicit substance is allowed to pass through their areas of responsibility under whatever guise or cover to destroy the lives of innocent Nigerians in other parts of the country.
“For us in NDLEA, a kilogram of illicit drug seized by our gallant and courageous officers across the country is a kilogram less what is available on the streets and in our communities and that is why we’ll continue to encourage all our officers and men to continue to give their best in our pursuit of the mandate President Muhammadu Buhari has given us”, Gen. Marwa stated on Wednesday in Abuja.
