THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has again saved two Nigerians from capital punishment in Hong Kong and Malaysia in relation to drug trafficking offences.

The suspects, Dunu Samuel Okwuchukwu, a 39-year-old international businessman ingested 1.110 kilogrammes of cocaine on his way to Hong Kong while Mmaduekwe Christopher, a 32-year-old auto parts dealer in Dakar, Senegal hid 1.385 kilogrammes of methamphetamine in his sandals on his way to Malaysia.

Worried by the daring nature of persons smuggling narcotic drugs to countries with capital punishment for drug trafficking, the agency is seeking anti-drug enlightenment fund to enable it to intensify campaign programmes across the country.

According to the chairman of the agency, Ahmadu Giade, the agency needs fund for aggressive national campaign.

“The situation where young men and women now see drug trafficking as an escape route from poverty is bad and unacceptable. We have arrested many of them at the airports and border posts with drugs going to countries with capital punishment for drug culprits.”

He explained that the latest arrests further underscored their call for proactive measures to tackle the problem headlong and protect the lives of citizens.

“We need funds to execute enlightenment campaign programmes. A robust campaign will go a long way in re-orientating drug traffickers on the need to shun the criminal act,” Giade stated.

NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar, said that drug traffickers planning to use the Lagos airport would continue to be arrested and prosecuted.

His words: “The airport command will remain vigilant and arrest drug traffickers. Okwuchukwu was to board a Kenya Airways flight to Hong Kong en-route Nairobi while Mmaduekwe Christopher was to board a Qatar Airways flight to Malaysia when they were apprehended.”

-Guardian