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Peddling drugs, the family way
By TOYOSI OGUNSEYE
Sunday, 20 Mar 2011


Family of four caught with drugs at MMIA

Generally, crime is dynamic in nature and drug trafficking is not an exception. It was once a rarity to see couples involved in this illicit trade. TOYOSI OGUNSEYE however writes that the reverse is the case, as drug trafficking is now being taken as a family business. This has compelled the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to beam its searchlight on couples that are travelling out of the country

On December 31, 2010, Owolabi Amoo and his wife Eniola were arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos,for testing positive for drug ingestion. Amoo, 60, who is a printer and Eniola, 57, a trader, were arrested at the boarding gate during routine checks on Delta Airline passengers to the United States.

The suspects who reportedly ingested a combined 160 wraps of heroin weighing 2.28kg, completed the excretion

of the drugs five days after their arrest.

Each of them had swallowed 80 wraps of drugs that weighed 1.14kg. After their arrest, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar, said that preliminary investigation showed that the couple specialised in narcotic smuggling.

The Amoos are not the only ones that have tried to smuggle drugs under the ruse of family trip. Umar said that for couples like the Amoos, the assumption was that it would be easy to smuggle drugs when they travel as husband and wife because, then, there is this impression that both are responsible folks who are not likely to be involved in drug trafficking.

The couple was given an initial payment of $2,000 each, and was hopeful of additional $8,000 if they had succeeded in delivering the drugs in New York, their final destination.

Amoo, who is from Offa in Kwara State, attended First Baptist Church Primary School, Ilorin, and graduated in 1974. He also had his secondary education in Iree, Osun State.

In his statement, Amoo said that though he had a printing press, Joabsin Printing Press, he was still having financial problems and that was why he considered the option of drug trafficking.

He said, “I am a printer. A young man I met in a café introduced me to the drug deal in 2009. I have two wives. My second wife who was arrested with me is my business partner because we both deal in drugs. I voluntarily agreed to smuggle drugs because of my financial problems. I need money for my children’s school fees, rent and feeding. I started peddling drugs in 2009.

“I feel sad and regret my involvement in drug trafficking. The excitement of $10,000 per trip was irresistible. I was optimistic that travelling as husband and wife would not attract attention of security operatives.”

His wife did not deny the allegation of drug peddling being levelled against her and her husband. Also from Kwara State, the grandmother said, “I was frustrated after my first husband died, but I found hope in drug trafficking with my relationship with Owolabi Ganiyu. I did not know that it will end this way.”

The Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said that family involvement in drug peddling had become a common phenomenon.

He said, “There are many reasons why drug trafficking is fast becoming a family business. In most cases, the men co-opt their spouses into it with the enticing pecuniary gains of the trade. Spouses also help in the delivery of drug consignments to customers.

“In the course of raid operations, couples have often been used to conceal drugs from the reach of officers.”

Giade however noted that a more worrisome dimension is the involvement of innocent children in the obnoxious trade. “Drug traffickers have taken the criminal act a step too high,” Giade said.

“It is unfortunate that parents who, ordinarily, should provide direction for their children are the very people introducing their children and wards to drug trafficking. It is a dangerous trend that requires a total moral re-orientation to redress.”

It would be recalled that on March 28, 2010, another couple Mr. and Mrs. Jimoh Bashir, were nabbed in connection with unlawful exportation of 4.05kg of cocaine during the outward clearance of passengers on Arik Air flight to London.

The husband did not have drugs on him, but this wife and their six-year-old twins were found with 4.05kg of drugs that tested positive to cocaine.

The 46-year-old father was alleged to have connived with his wife, Jimoh Mulikat, in concealing 350 grammes of cocaine each in the diaper of their six-year-old twins while travelling to London. The wife also concealed 3.35kg inside her underwear.

Three vehicles - Toyota Matrix, Lexus and Mazda - cars were traced to the couple and impounded by the anti-drug agency.

Also, a twin three-bedroom flat where they operated a supermarket at Ajah, Lagos, was traced by the NDLEA.

Even though the Jimohs were quite comfortable, they said they got involved in drugs smuggling because they were duped of the sum of N2.2m and they needed to pay the school fees of their children.

Jimoh said, “We were to be paid 3,000 pounds, while some quantity of the drugs would also have been given to us. Initially, I rejected the suggestion, but they convinced my wife who persuaded me to do it. I needed money to pay my children’s school fees.”

The wife also blamed their involvement in drug trafficking on the need to pay their children’s school fees as well as other family financial responsibility. She said, “I have problem with my children’s school fees. I have six children and I intend to give them good education. I also have younger ones and aged parents to take care of. They asked me to swallow the drugs, but I was afraid; that was why I packed them in my body.”

The children were immediately released to the family members, while the couple was charged to court. The trial is ongoing though they have been granted bail.

The spokesman of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said that the agency had since imposed stricter checks on couples that were travelling out of the country. “This (couple’s involvement in drug peddling) has to be nipped in the bud before it becomes a monster.”

Comments :

Constant electricity supply would have helped the printer to shoulder his responsiblities(greed apart). I do wonder why the so called leaders are not helping the majority as situation gets harder for Nigerians. Hard working Nigerians are not getting any support from thier representatives.It does’nt give joy that citinzens of other countries that should be envying Nigerians are leaving better off than them. May God save us.

Posted by: Eke Orji Enyi , on Sunday, March 20, 2011

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these couples are so greedy and not good role models for their children.we have public and federal schools with good standard and learning environment.they really dont have an excuse.

Posted by: lynda , on Sunday, March 20, 2011

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I do not accept the excuses given by people involved in drug peddling. It is greed! However, we should pay serious attention to the cost of education in this country. Gradually, quality education is above the reach of children of most Nigerian parents! Our public schools have been abandoned and turned into breeding grounds of wouldbe area boys and girls. Take a look at the classrooms they are like miniprison rooms. The children behave the way their environment suggests. Do we have government?

Awon "Omo-Nbatim" again?

[size=8pt]Each of them had swallowed 80 wraps of drugs[/size] that weighed 1.14kg. After their arrest, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Airport Commander, Alhaji Hamza Umar, said that preliminary investigation showed that the couple specialised in narcotic smuggling.



The suspects who reportedly ingested a combined 160 wraps of heroin weighing 2.28kg, completed the [size=20pt]excretion[/size]

This anus na multi-purpose organ o!
They must be working for "Tinu[b][size=20pt]m[/size][/b]bu"!

Tain my God for full-time h-employment o!