Intending Pilgrim Excretes a Total of 82 Pellets of Cocaine

Binuyo Basira, the 55-year-old intending pilgrim who was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport last week after testing positive to narcotic ingestion has excreted more pellets of cocaine.

As at last week, the suspect, excreted 76 pellets of the drug, and has now excreted 6 more, making it 82 pellets.

The 82 pellets, weighing 931grammes are reportedly worth N10 million.

The offence is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.

The suspect, who was arrested during the outward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight to Medina through Dubai, is a trader at Dosumu market, Lagos. She said that she did what she did because she needed money to expand her business.

“I wanted to expand my cosmetic business but I have no money. My sponsor offered to foot my expenses to Saudi on pilgrimage. I was excited until I was asked to take drugs along. I wanted to decline but considering the offer of a million Naira, I accepted. I swallowed the drugs in Lagos and took flight to Abuja on my way to Medina but I was caught in the process,” she said

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (Rtd), described her action as shameful and discreditable

“It is a shameful and discreditable act for a 55-year-old mother, going on holy pilgrimage, to ingest narcotics. This is shocking and a clear indication of her inability to effectively discharge parental responsibility. The agency shall invoke the powers of the law against her and others caught indulging in production/trafficking in narcotic drugs,” he said.

Credit: Vanguard