Saudi-bound Pilgrim Arrested With 32 Wraps Of Cocaine At Lagos Airport (Photo)

NDLEA has intercepted Owolabi Oluwayemisi Modinat, a 54-year-old single mother of four children, who was going on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia with substances that tested positive for cocaine.

Modinat who hails from Kwara State, was apprehended during the outward screening of passengers on a Qatar Airline flight to Saudi Arabia, despite the death penalty for drugs there. Preliminary investigation revealed that she ingested 32 wraps of cocaine weighing 330 grammes.

The suspect who hawks tea and bread to earn a living in Lagos was found to have collected N300,000 to smuggle drugs to Saudi under the pretext of going for pilgrimage. She was also going to Saudi as a private pilgrim and not as a group.

NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba, said that this was the second arrest of a pilgrim at the airport. One Odeyemi Omolara Morayo a.k.a. Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi was caught with 1.595kg of cocaine on her way to Saudi Arabia in February.

Modinat, in her statement, explained that poverty led her into drug trafficking. According to her, “I have never travelled outside the country before now. I am a single mother of four children. I sell tea and bread to earn a living.

At present, I have no money to continue with my tea business due to family problems. A man met me and promised to help me by sponsoring my trip to Saudi Arabia. As a Muslim, I was happy but he later asked me to swallow the drugs.

I agreed because he promised to pay me N300,000. I have too many problems and nobody to help me.” The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd.), while commenting on her arrest called on members of the public to be vigilant and avoid falling prey to drug barons.