The
Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu
Giade has ordered investigation into the operations of Arik Airlines. The order
was given following the arrest of one Chika Egwu Udensi, an Air steward working
for Arik Airlines on Monday August 24, 2015 with 20kg of substances that tested
positive for cocaine at Heathrow Airport, London. The Agency was notified of
the arrest by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom.
According
to the NDLEA boss, “the Agency will carry out full scale investigation into
this case to ascertain those behind the criminal act. We shall work closely
with our international collaborators on the matter. Arik Airline will be
sanctioned if found wanting”.
The Agency shall invoke section 25 of
the NDLEA Act against the airline which states that 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. Every commercial
carrier 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.
The law refers to the precautionary
measures to include training of personnel, promotion of integrity of their
personnel, submission of cargo manifests in advance, use of tamper-resistant,
individually verifiable seals on containers and reporting to the Agency at the
earliest opportunity all suspicious circumstances relating to drug trafficking.
Nigeria
has a cordial working relationship with the United Kingdom in drug control. This
has resulted to a drastic reduction in the number of arrests made in the United
Kingdom from flights originating from Nigeria over the years.
Ofoyeju
Mitchell
Head,
Public Affairs
08034088136
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