Two Nigerian businessmen based in Europe, Aliocus Godian Odife and Sam Blackborn, have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly trafficking cocaine atNnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The suspects, who reportedly travelled to Nigeria for a holiday, were arrested while attempting to return to Paris, France.

In a statement on Sunday, the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the suspects were arrested on Wednesday during the outward clearance of Air France flight AF 832 from Abuja to Paris.

He stated that both men had excreted a total of 200 wraps of the Class A drug weighing 3.460 kilogrammes.

“Odife, who claims to live in France where he works in a factory, had arrived in Nigeria for a short holiday on 21st October. 

“He was, however, arrested by NDLEA operatives on his return flight a few days later when he was subjected to a body scan, which confirmed the presence of foreign objects in his stomach,” he said. 

Mr Babafemi explained that during the interview, he admitted to having ingested 110 pellets of cocaine. He said Mr Odife was placed under observation, during which he excreted all 110 wraps, which tested positive for cocaine, with a total weight of 1.901kg

“On the same flight, his co-traveller, Sam Blackborn, was also nabbed by NDLEA officers at the departure hall of the Abuja airport. 

“His body scan likewise returned positive for ingestion while he confessed to having swallowed 90 pellets of cocaine,” he said. 

He noted that under observation, the suspect excreted all 90 wraps, which tested positive for the class A drug after each excretion and weighed a total of 1.559 kilogrammes.