“I carried heroin to treat my HIV” - 59 yrs old widow

 A 59 year old widow arrested at the Port Harcourt international airport by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for alleged drug ingestion has said that she decided to traffic the illicit drugs to be able to raise money for the treatment of her HIV status. Mrs Fati Akande who allegedly excreted 99 wraps of substance that tested positive to heroin in Port Harcourt after she was arrested during the screening of passengers at the Port Harcourt international airport on her way to the United States of America, insist she was not a criminal.

The suspect, Mrs Akande who said she is a mother of three and a widow was arrested during the outward clearance of Air France flight AF 3051 to Paris from where she intend to board another flight to the US. She said she is not a criminal that wants to traffic the illicit drugs to make money for her but just to raise funds for the treatment of her HIV which she said required a lot of money.

“I did not need to do it. I went into it because I was sick and needed money for my treatment. I am HIV positive. I was tested at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Lagos and I was found to be HIV positive. I need money to treat myself to remain alive. I do not have the money. I intend to deliver the drugs to a business partner in Netherlands who is also a Nigerian. I just hope the authorities will understand my plight.

“Yes, I hold a Nigerian international passport number A01392379 and an electronic ticket number 6UK7QU with which I suppose to board my flight. I had also obtained a boarding pass and was allocated to seat number 46A before they arrested me. I am an indigene of Iseyin local government of Oyo state but reside in Lagos. Yes, the heroin I was arrested with has a street value of N15 million in Nigeria but it would have cost twice that amount or more in Netherlands.

“I just want them to understand the logic in this saga. I am not a drug trafficker or consumer. I do not take drugs. I do not traffic drugs. I lost my husband a long time ago. I have nobody to help me. I tested positive to HIV. It is a terminal disease. I cannot fold my arms and watch me going down the grave. No help was coming from anywhere. I had to do something to save myself. It is better to take drugs, get the money to cure myself take die helplessly or go into crimes like armed robbery that could be injurious to others. People and the authorities should reason with me. It is not as if I am making it a trade,” she said.

But Commander of the NDLEA at the Port Harcourt airport, Mr. Julius Parah who confirmed the arrest said there is no short method to crime. He said the Federal Government is providing free medical treatment to people living with HIV test, nothing that the mere fact that one has tested positive to HIV is not enough to go into drug trafficking. He said though the agency sympathize with her situation as a person living with HIV, she will still have to face the wrath of the law for her involvement in drug trafficking.     

“We arrested her on Monday, December 27, 2010 at about 8.35pm. she was detected with the aid of the NDLEA scanning machine. She tried to deny at first. That is normal with most traffickers. We placed her on observation for some days within which she excreted all the 99 wraps she earlier ingested. The 99 wraps of heroin excreted by her weigh 1.408 kilograms. Investigation into her case has since commenced and we are making efforts to get hold of all her local and foreign collaborators. She will soon be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded,” he said.

Commenting on the matter, Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said the arrest of Fati Akande is in line with the provisions of the laws of Nigeria as contained in the NDLEA Act, adding that her HIV positive status is not an immunity to her against drug trafficking. He said it would have been more honourable for Mrs. Akande to seek for assistance from government and other donor agencies than to get involved in such a criminal act.

“We have made arrangement to confirm her claims that she is HIV positive. Nevertheless, even if it is true that she has health challenge that does not make her a chartered libertine. What is important is that her action amounts to attempt to unlawfully export narcotics from the Port-Harcourt Airport. The position of the law is very clear on this and the appropriate legal line of action will be adhered to.

“She is entitled to intensive medical care while in our custody. That is her fundamental right and it is not in dispute. On our part, no one will be allowed to hide under the canopy of ill health to perpetrate criminal acts. We will ensure that she is charged to court to explain her actions. Charging her to court will serve as a deterrent to others who may want to go into crime on medical grounds,” he said.

Giade lamented the involvement of adults in drug trafficking, nothing that parents should not only distance themselves from drug trafficking and other related crimes but should be seen to be advising the younger ones against such acts. He pointed that the arrest of Mrs. Akande in Port Harcourt and the recent arrest of a couple at the Lagos airport over alleged ingestion of heroin are condemnable acts.

Giade commended his officers for the arrest stressing that their vigilance even at the last minutes of the previous year is a winning signal. He said the agency’s preparedness to adequately curb drug trafficking is non-negotiable. The NDLEA boss expressed disappointment at the involvement of the couple in drug trafficking given their old age adding that the law will take its course.

“We shall remain resolute on our mission of extra-vigilance at all times. The suspects wanted to capitalize on the end of year last moment frenzy to smuggle drugs. Our officers cannot because of the new year or any other celebration stop from discharging their duties professionally. The task of drug control is vital to national security and not even the aged or newlywed will make us lose concentration,” Giade promised.

Mr. Owolabi Ganiyu Amoo who is also known in some quarters as Johnson Bamiduro and his 57 year old wife, Mrs. Owolabi Ganiyu Omowunmi Eniola were arrested by operatives at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos for alleged drug ingestion on December 31, 2010. The couple were alleged to have ingested 160 wraps of powdery substance that was found to be heroin weighing 2.280 kilograms when they were on their way out of Nigeria. NDLEA Commander at the Lagos airport, Alhaji Hamza Umar said the suspects completed excretion of the drugs while in custody. He said each of the suspects swallowed 80 wraps that weighed 1.140 kilograms, adding, “This is the first time both husband and wife will test positive to drug ingestion