The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Special Area Command, has foiled an attempt by an intending student to smuggle 13.55 kilogrammes of cannabis to Cyprus.
The Head of Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr Jonah Achema, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.
Achema said the suspected drug trafficker, Sunday Odi, was intercepted at the departure hall of the airport while attempting to board a Turkish airline flight to Northern Cyprus en-route Istanbul, Turkey.
According to him, the 23-year-old Odi, an indigene of Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was offered admission to read Tourism and Hotel Management at the Near East University, Cyprus.
“During a search of his luggage, some dried weeds, which tested positive for cannabis, sativa weighing 13.55kg, were found concealed in dried hibiscus flowers and stuffed in empty water bottles. The drugs were wrapped in little quantities in the bottles, which were cut apart for the wraps to enter and seal back with a brand label ‘Wonder Bitter Root.’ The bottles were submerged in the bags with food condiments and provisions,” he said.
Achema, however, said Odi denied knowledge of the content of the bag while disclosing that one Emmanuel Ihebekwe, a Nigerian resident in Cyprus, was instrumental to his university admission.
Achema said that Odi claimed that Ihebekwe had told him to come along with some foodstuff and malaria drugs contained in two ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags.
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