The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, has said that the couple recently arrested with their six-year-old twins for allegedly being in possession of cocaine will be charged with child abuse and drug trafficking.
The agency's spokesman, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed Giade's position to our correspondent in a telephone interview on Sunday.
Giade said that it was saddening that drug traffickers could go to the extent of using innocent children to convey illicit drugs because of their selfish interests.
He said, "The action of the couple is callous, morally depraved and unacceptable. Apart from charging them with drug trafficking, they will also be charged with child abuse. It is unlawful for them to take an advantage of the kids' innocence and involve them in a serious criminal act of drug trafficking. No society will overlook such an act of debasement."
NDLEA officials reportedly arrested 46-year-old Bashir Jimoh; his wife, Adebukola, and their six-year-old twins for allegedly trafficking 4.050 kg of cocaine.
The family of four was to board an Arik flight to Heathrow Airport, London on March 28, 2010 when they were found with the illicit powdery substance.
Although the man had no drugs on him at the time of their arrest, the wife reportedly concealed 3.350kg in almost every part of her body. She had some on her Bosom s and underwear. The twins were also used in packing 700g of the illicit drug.
The children have since been released to family members while their parents are still being held.
The parents are said to be operators of a supermarket in Ajah, Lagos.
They told detectives that they needed to smuggle the drugs to enable them to pay their children's school fees, having been earlier duped of N2.2m.
"They were to pay us £3,000 while some quantity of the drugs would have been given to us. Initially, I rejected the suggestion, but they convinced my wife, who persuaded me to do it," Jimoh was quoted as saying.
The wife also blamed their involvement on the pressing need to pay school fees and other financial responsibilities.
"I have a problem of my children's school fees. I have six children and I intend to give them good education. I also have younger ones and aged parents to take care of. They asked me to swallow the drugs but I was afraid, that was why I packed them in my body," she stated.
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