Nkonkonsa Celebrity Gossip From Africa
Nigerian anti-narcotics agents have apprehended a 20-year-old Ghanaian-British university student attempting to smuggle 19.4 kilograms of cannabis through Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confirmed the arrest of Osei Parker Darren Hazekia, who claims to be a Computer Science student at the University of East London, during routine screening of passengers arriving from Bangkok on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET897 on April 3.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed that officers discovered 36 compressed parcels of high-grade cannabis, commonly known as “loud,” concealed in the lining of the suspect’s oversized travel bag. The drugs weighed a total of 19.40 kilograms upon examination.
“During preliminary interrogation, the suspect admitted traveling from his London residence to Bangkok specifically to collect the illicit consignment for delivery in Nigeria,” Babafemi stated in an official release.
The arrests come amid heightened surveillance at Nigeria’s international entry points following intelligence reports of increased drug trafficking activity ahead of the summer travel season.
If convicted, the suspects face mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years imprisonment under Nigeria’s stringent narcotics laws. The NDLEA has transferred all cases to its prosecution unit while continuing investigations into potential international drug networks.
University of East London officials could not immediately confirm the suspect’s student status when contacted for comment. British High Commission representatives in Lagos acknowledged awareness of the case but declined further statement pending formal consular access.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
