A 46-year-old bricklayer, Chukwudi Ugankwo, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after testing positive to drug ingestion.

The arrest was made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, where it was learnt that Ugankwo, ingested 83 wraps of cocaine, one of the highest quantities of drugs ingested at a time by a suspect this year.

Ugankwo, a father of four children, hailing from Alor village in Anambra state,was on his way back from Brazil when he was apprehended.

The NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar said , “Ugankwo was detected with the help of scanning machines during the screening of passengers on an Asky Airline flight. The case is under investigation.”

Reports say:

Ugankwo said, “I am a bricklayer at Alor. I was lured into selling our family land in other to travel out in search of job opportunities.

“I got to Brazil on July 10, 2013; things were not as rosy as I hoped because I could not get any job. That was when the idea of drug trafficking was sold to me. I had to swallow  83 wraps of cocaine.”

Chairman of the NDLEA, Mr. Ahmadu Giade, told PUNCH Metro that drug barons had now resorted to recruiting drug couriers from the villages.

He said, “Recent investigations have shown that drug barons now have agents who move from village to village in search of drug mules. Members of the public are urged to turn down such requests.”

In another development, Nigeria’s most beautiful girl 2013, Miss Anna Banner has been cleared by the NDLEA for the forthcoming Miss World Beauty contest in Indonesia.

Banner was received at the NDLEA headquarters at Ikoyi by the Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, on behalf of Giade.

He said, “We are optimistic that you will fly the country’s flag high above others. Your request for visa clearance certificate was approved on merit having met the stipulated requirements.

“NDLEA visa clearance is a policy where Nigerians travelling to drug source countries are screened by the Agency and recommended to embassies for visa issuance.”