An Edo State House of Assembly 2011 aspirant, Eme Zuru Ayortor, 52, has been apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), for attempting to smuggle 2.12kg cocaine in his stomach.
The suspect, who is a pharmacist, was nabbed at the screening area for passengers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while trying to board a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt.
Mitchell Ofoyeju, spokesperson for the anti-narcotics agency, disclosed that the politician is one of the high profile suspects nabbed by the NDLEA at the airport in recent times..
“After undergoing observation, the pharmacist-turned-politician excreted 100 pieces of powdery substance that tested positive to cocaine, weighing 2.12kg. The quantity also makes him the highest drug ingesting suspect since January 2010,” he said.
According to Mr. Ofoyeju, the suspect claimed to have relied on his physique and social status to evade arrest, stressing that the strategy was not successful for the suspect this time.
“A preliminary check on him revealed that he was preparing himself financially for the forthcoming election into the Edo State House of Assembly,” said Ofoyeju.
Ahmadu Giade, chief executive of the agency, assured that the police is determined to expose anybody dealing in narcotic drugs under any guise.
“We do not look at faces in conducting drug screening, and we are not moved by credentials. Whoever is dealing in narcotics shall be exposed and prosecuted in line with the agency’s act,” he said in a statement.
The suspect
According to the agency, the suspect, Mr. Ayortor, taught at the Baptist High School, Benin City, before going to the United States where he studied Pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin, adding that he returned to Nigeria in 2006, and the following year contested for a seat at the Edo State House of Assembly but he lost.
Hamza Umar, airport commander for the agency, disclosed that the case is under investigation, adding that follow-up operations on the development have been positive.
“A follow-up operation into the case is yielding very positive results, and at the appropriate time, more facts shall be released to the public,” he said.
The suspect, in a statement from the agency, disclosed that he lost all he had as a pharmacist when he contested the 2007 elections in Edo State.
“I contested the 2007 House of Assembly election in Edo State and lost. I also lost all my savings as a practising pharmacist in that election. Now, the coast is clear, and I am being favoured to run in 2011 in my party. That was how I got involved in this mess. I needed to reposition myself for the 2011 election financially. I thought that with my position and appearance, there will be no problem at the screening. I do not know where to start from here,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ofoyeju disclosed that the agency had in times past arrested a doctorate degree holder, an ex-counsellor, and a family at the Lagos airport. He added that the politician and drug peddler will soon be charged to court.
