Freight Attendant Who Allegedly Slipped Drugs Into Passenger’s Luggage In Custody – NDLEA
A freight attendant who allegedly ‘slipped’ illicit drugs into the luggage of a passenger at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport is in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The agency confirmed the development to THE WHISTLER on Friday, after a video of the incident went viral on Thursday, eliciting reactions from Nigerians across the social media.
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The video, captioned, “That’s how a stupid FAAN tried to set us up to smuggle drugs…”, also showed the freight attendant, incoherently conceding to the allegations.
While responding to THE WHISTLER via a WhatsApp text, the spokesperson of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi refuted claims that the accused is a staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
“Both the suspect and consignment are with us. The suspect is however not a FAAN personnel but a staff of a freight company.
“One of the two substances in the consignment tested positive to tramadol and the other supplement,” Babafemi said.
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The incident has further raised conversations surrounding the authenticity of NDLEA operations and the reports of arrests made at the various airports in the country.
Babafemi in further conversation with THE WHISTLER via telephone call, explained that the suspects worked with a Pathfinder freight company, and had only allegedly approached the passenger for assistance to convey the illicit substance to his direction of travel.
He said, “The man who posted the information, abinitio, posted the wrong information. He said they found cocaine in his bag, which is not true.
“That guy works with a freight company, called The Pathfinder, and he obviously gained access into the airport through his airport tag, otherwise he should have been detected at the entrance.
“But what they do is, they come to the checkpoint to look for who is going to their direction to give a parcel to for delivery to another person to another end.
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“So, it wasn’t as if he slipped something into his bag, he approached him and gave him a consignment and it has not even gotten to the screening side at all. If you look at that area, you will see that that was the outer screening area where you check in…
“That was when the guy asked him what was inside the parcel.”
The NDLEA spokesperson, Babafemi, noted that further investigation was ongoing and reiterated the agency’s call for caution when receiving parcels for third party delivery, from known and unknown persons.
“This is why we educate people to be alert. Do not accept anything from anybody. If you must, make sure you search everything,” Babafemi added.
Meanwhile Nigerians have taken to the macro blogging application, X Account to express their dismay over the development.
An X user, @Walegates called for an in-depth review of incidents of illicit drug burst, reported by the NDLEA agency.
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He said, “Every Drug Burst by @ndlea_nigeria at that airport needs to be reviewed. Dem guys have DEFINITELY done it before. Plant the drugs, burst him, then demand a huge bribe.”
Another user @Alonski101, in vernacular language, expressed his fear over the situation, and the implication of mistrust in the operational activity of the NDLEA.
He said, “This is scary. How person wan take travel with free mind, now imagine the number of travellers that this guy must have done this shit to. Might just be a racket between the guy and some NDLEA operatives.”
However, @O_laolu accused NDLEA personnel of complicity in the transcations of transmitting iliicit drugs from person to person in the nation’s airports.
The X-user said, “I’ve always said those stupid pictures and videos ndlea posts of finding drugs are ALL orchestrated. Same incompetent lot that will form searching you and sneak weed on you so they can extort you. I’m not reporting a story, it happened to me. They’re all fucking lying thieves.”
While @Emperoezemmuo wondered what would become of the passenger, if he was accosted by personnel of the agency during screening process.
“I just saw on the news how a FAAN staff tried to smuggle drugs into the luggage on an innocent air traveller. If the guy was not caught, the innocent passenger will be caught by NDLEA and tagged a drug pusher. May God not allow us to be victim of what we know nothing about.”
But @OmoGbajabiamila, in a lenghty thread, advised Nigerians on ways to secure their lugage when travelling.
