Don’t Take Luggage Without Knowing Its Content, NDLEA Warns Travellers

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has issued a stern warning to travellers about the risks of transporting luggage without knowing its contents.

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, issued this warning through a post on his X account on Sunday, highlighting recent incidents where innocent individuals were nearly incarcerated due to this oversight.

The warning was prompted by a distressing event involving two students—a PhD candidate and another studying abroad—who were detained after bottles of codeine syrup were found in the luggage they had agreed to transport for a female friend who was also studying abroad.

“A PhD student and another student studying abroad got into custody because bottles of codeine syrup were found in the luggage they picked up for their female friend abroad,” Babafemi stated.

He further explained that the students were spared from jail time solely because of the NDLEA’s intervention, which ensured that the actual owner of the luggage was promptly returned to Nigeria to face charges.

Babafemi also pointed to a recent seizure as an example of how drug traffickers are using innovative methods to smuggle illegal substances.

“Video shows how bags of opioids were concealed among spare parts coming from Onitsha heading to Mubi in Adamawa.

“They would have been jailed if #ndlea_nigeria had not worked hard to ensure the owner was put on the next flight home…. Reason why we warn you not to take any luggage you don’t know its content from anyone,” Babafemi warned.