BRITISH Border Force officials have released one of the two Arik Air staff arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of drug trafficking earlier this week.
On Wednesday, two Arik officials were arrested after 6kg of cocaine said to have a street value of about £600,000 was found in a bag taking the staff from the airport to their hotel. Following interrogation, however, one of the duo, Delita Abibimgbi who was only found with 60 packets of cigarettes, has been released without charge.
Ms Abibimgbi, 32, is currently helping Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with its investigations into the incident. However, her colleague Temitayo Olubunmi Daramola, 37, remains in detention and is likely to face prosecution for possession of a Class A drug.
Ahmadu Giade, the NDLEA chief executive called on airlines to take all necessary steps to prevent drug trafficking in the country. He warned that any airline found wanting shall be penalised, pointed out that section 25 of the NDLEA Act outlined the responsibilities of airlines.
“It shall be the duty of every commercial carrier to take reasonable precaution to ensure that its means of transport are not used in the commission of offences under this act. They are to comply with appropriate security measures at points of entry and exit in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other customs control areas, to prevent unauthorized cargo in its means of transportation,” Mr Giade added.
Hamza Umar, the NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, explained that such precautions as contained in the act include training of personnel to identify suspicious consignment or persons and the submission of cargo manifests in advance. Others include the use of tamper-resistant, individually verifiable seals on containers and reporting at the earliest opportunity all suspicious circumstances relating to drug trafficking.
Since the incident on Monday, security checks on airline officials have been intensified at the Nigeria's airports as well at all entry and exit points. Nigerian airlines have pledged their cooperation with the authorities regarding these new security measures aimed at preventing drug trafficking.
Hamza Umar, the NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, explained that such precautions as contained in the act include training of personnel to identify suspicious consignment or persons and the submission of cargo manifests in advance. Others include the use of tamper-resistant, individually verifiable seals on containers and reporting at the earliest opportunity all suspicious circumstances relating to drug trafficking.
Since the incident on Monday, security checks on airline officials have been intensified at the Nigeria's airports as well at all entry and exit points. Nigerian airlines have pledged their cooperation with the authorities regarding these new security measures aimed at preventing drug trafficking.
Source: www,nigerianwatch.com
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