Police arrest woman ‘using 10-year-old niece to push hemp’ in Lagos

The Lagos police command has arrested a 44-year-old woman for allegedly using her 10-year-old niece as a drug courier.

Parading the suspect in Ikeja on Tuesday, Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in Lagos, said the suspect was arrested last Wednesday after her niece was found wandering on the street.

He said the 10-year-old girl was taken from the street and brought to the Pen Cinema police division in Agege.

Hundeyin said after due check, the divisional police officer (DPO) directed the girl to clean up, while officers were mobilised on a search for her parents.

The police spokesperson said while the girl was trying to clean up, the police discovered a substance suspected to be “colorado”, a variety of Indian hemp, planted in her panties.

“The discovery prompted further questions, which revealed that this has been going on for a long time; so, we had to extend the investigation to her house, and we were able to bring her guardian (the suspect) to the police station,” he said.

“She did not deny it. She admitted that this had been her way to courier drugs from her house to the shop she sells them, to beat police checks. That is why we are exposing her to Nigerians.”

Hundeyin said the girl would be handed over to her family, adding that the police will ensure that the suspect is prosecuted.