Student, importer in NDLEA net over hard drugs

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade has warned drug traffickers to shun drug trafficking or face the legal consequences. The NDLEA boss gave the warning following the arrest of a student and importer last weekend. The suspects were arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos while attempting to unlawfully export narcotics out of the country.

According to Giade: “Drug traffickers must eschew the criminal act that damages the image of the country. The student was in a better position to know that drug trafficking attracts capital punishment in Malaysia. It is clearly stated in his visa. Besides, the serious implications of drug trafficking on his career should have restrained him from the criminal act. We shall continue to arrest and prosecute anyone that indulges in drug trafficking”.
NDLEA Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar gave the names of the suspects as Agunenye Chinagorom Capito, 29 (student) and Eze Chika Augustine, 41 (auto parts importer based in Japan). “While Agunenye was caught with 200 grammes of methamphetamine during screening of Emirate passengers to Malaysia, Eze was in possession of 1.150kg of methamphetamine during boarding of Qatar Airways flight. He tested positive to drug ingestion with the aid scanning machines,” Hamza stated.

*Chinagorom,Augustine

Both suspects owned up to the crime. They also gave various reasons for trafficking in narcotics. Chinagorom Capito who claimed to be studying English Language in Malaysia said that he was promised the sum of 3,000 US dollars to smuggle the drug. “I am a student of English Language. I came to Nigeria to see my parents. While I was preparing to return to Malaysia, a man offered to reward me if I smuggle drugs to Malaysia. He said that the drug will be properly packed in a bag. If not for the arresting officer, I did not even know that the drug was inside the metal handles of the bag.
They just told me that the drug was inside the bag and that I will get 3,000 dollars upon delivery. I was given the bag containing some foodstuff and they wished me good luck. I needed the money and did not really consider the capital punishment side of the deal,” Chinagorom stated. He hails from Orlu in Imo State.
Eze Chika Augustine an importer of auto parts said that he yielded to pressures to smuggle drugs because of financial predicament. He had lived in Japan for six years. Eze who hails from Nnenwi in Anambra State came into the country from Japan in February 2011. On his way back to Osaka, Japan he was found to have ingested 76 wraps of substances that tested positive to methamphetamine.
“I am an importer of auto parts but my business is financially down. I needed the N800,000 they promised me for sustenance,” Eze stated.
Both suspects will soon be charged to court.

BY Ifeanyi Okolie, 27 May, 2011

Source : www.vanguardngr.com