NDLEA: How human trafficker recruited orphan to transport cannabis to Dubai

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has seized 50 parcels of cannabis concealed in food items of Peter Eno, an “orphan”, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA spokesman, said the illicit drug which weighs 2.80kilograms was planted into Eno’s luggage by one Matthew Bassey, an alleged human trafficker.

He said the drug was bound for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), before Eno was intercepted at the airport due to “discrepancies between the age she declared and the date of birth on her international passport”.

Consequently, Bassey, 29, from Oron LGA, Akwa Ibom state, was arrested on July 6 while lurking around the airport.

“Further interview reveals that the human trafficker, who recruited and brought her to the airport, Bassey, was still lurking around the airport, waiting for her departure,” Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday.

“He was promptly tracked and arrested. Investigations showed that the victim, who hails from the same Oron LGA of Akwa Ibom like Bassey recently lost her mother.

“This made it easy for Bassey to recruit her with the promise of securing her a job in Dubai, UAE.

“It was further discovered that the recruiter leveraged on the victim’s naivety and planted drugs in her bag for onward delivery to his contact in Dubai.”

Babafemi said Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, commended the officers of the MMIA command for staying vigilant and proactive in their areas of responsibility.

Marwa charged them and their colleagues across the country not to rest on their oars.