Pregnant woman swallows 350 grams of cocaine

Apart from the criminal implication, tell me, what could be more undignifying for a woman to ingest hard drugs for whatever reason, knowing full well the health implication?" queried the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Alhaji Hamza Umar.

The anti-drug agency boss continued, "This drug barons and couriers have no respect for their own lives; neither do they respect the dignity of their children. This is the height of desperation by drug barons and their associates."

Ms Osatohamwen Esohe was arrested by operatives of NDLEA at the airport while passengers were being screened for Alitalia flight to Rome. Incidentally, Osatohamwen in Bini translation means "God have mercy on me", but in this present situation, it is doubted whether the same God will have mercy on her, having gone contrary to the ordinance of God.

At the departure lounge of the airport, the 29 years old expectant mother had submitted her luggage for screening, optimistic that she may never be detected. But the scanning machine proved her wrong as some black spots were spotted in her intestines.

She was promptly asked to excuse others for profiling. Initially, the woman was said to have screamed at the officers operating the machine that she was pregnant and therefore, should not be disturbed. Her shout did not however make any meaning to the officers who told her gently that she had to be examined.

After observation, she expelled 27 wraps of substances that tested positive to cocaine weighing 350 grammes.

At the airport office of the anti-drug agency, Osatohamwen who was visibly full of remorse, broke down in tears, attributing her ordeal to poverty. She claimed she was once jilted by the man who had promised her marriage but gave in to the present one whom she said was responsible for her pregnancy because he promised to take her to the altar shortly.

Continuing, Osatohamwen said, "I discovered again that the man responsible for my pregnancy changed overnight, saying he was no longer interested in the relationship. At that time, I discovered that I was three months' pregnant, and since the man who put me in this condition refused to take responsibility and I am jobless, that was why I had to go into this drug deal.

The people that gave me the drugs promised me Euros 2000 and to me, that is a big money. This is the first time I am smuggling drugs. I only need enough money to take care of my unborn baby. That is all."

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