The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two pilgrims from Lagos State going to Saudi Arabia on holy pilgrimage for drug trafficking. The arrest took place at about 0300 hours on Tuesday November 18, 2008 at the Hajj Camp during screening of pilgrims on Med-View Airline.

The suspects, Mufutau Alabi Abdul-Hakeem, 31 years, an automobile technician and Abdul Rahman Alamu Wahab, 35 years, a photographer both tested positive to drug ingestion. As at 6 am Thursday November 20, 2008 Mufutau had excreted 75 wraps while Wahab excreted 72 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine.

Reacting to the arrest, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade described their involvement as 'sad and unfortunate'. The NDLEA boss said that intelligence officers have been deployed to all screening points to ensure that no one goes to the holy land with illicit drugs.

"The screening exercise is to ensure that drug barons do not smuggle narcotics under the cover of pilgrimage. We have a duty to protect the image of this country. We are adequately prepared to identify any person infiltrating the holy process for selfish and sinister interest" Giade declared.

He marvelled that despite the death penalty for drug offences in Saudi Arabia, the suspects knowingly attempted to traffic drugs to the holy land.

According to Giade "this is sacrilegious. It is very clear that they were not going as pilgrims". He therefore directed that the case be thoroughly investigated.

Meanwhile, preliminary investigation conducted by the Agency revealed that the suspects got the drug which they ingested in the house of Wahab from one source. The suspects Mufutau Alabi Abdul-Hakeem and Abdul Rahman Alamu Wahab both from Lagos Island batch of intending pilgrims dared the Saudi authority whose punishment for illicit drug trafficking is death. Mufutau with hajj passport number 020184 confessed to have ingested 109 pieces of narcotic drugs for a fee of 4,000 dollars.

Mufutau is married with a child and has a workshop at Obe Street, Lagos Island. The Senior Secondary School graduate hails from Oguntade village in Oyo State. He lives at 42, Makunjoola Street Orile Igumu. His reason for trafficking in illicit drugs is that "there is no work. I was the person that went to meet the man that I want to carry drugs because I know him. My priority was to pay for my rent which will expire in December" he stated.

Abdul-Rahman Alamu Wahab with hajj passport number 018971 confessed to have ingested 100 wraps of narcotic drugs. He also was promised the sum of 4,000 dollars by same sponsor. According to him "I did it with the hope of praying for forgiveness and to start my personal business. I am very sorry for myself; I do not know what to say".

Wahab lives at No 4 Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island. He is from Ibadan in Oyo State. It would be recalled that on October 10, 2007 during the screening of passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umurah (lesser Hajj) aboard Kabo flight from Kano to Jeddah, one Sheni Kareem Mohammed 41 years old was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).

The suspect was found to be in possession of 62 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine weighing 1 kilogramme concealed in his inner wear.