The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has warned Nigerians against accepting parcels or luggage from other people for delivery, after its operatives discovered illicit drugs concealed in a keg of palm oil meant for shipment to Saudi Arabia.
The agency’s director of media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi, issued the warning in an X post titled “Public Alert”.
The post was accompanied by a video showing NDLEA officials removing substances wrapped in polythene from the keg.
Babafemi said the consignment was handed to a woman travelling to Saudi Arabia, who was asked to deliver it to another person in the Middle Eastern country.
According to him, NDLEA officers intercepted the woman at the airport, where the concealed drugs were discovered.
“We’ll never be tired of repeating this warning: Never accept any parcel or luggage from anyone or on behalf of anyone no matter how close you’re!” Babafemi wrote.
He warned that the woman could have faced severe consequences had the drugs been discovered by authorities in Saudi Arabia.
“She’ll have been counting her days on earth by now if this was discovered in Saudi,” he said.
Babafemi urged Nigerians to be careful when asked to carry items for other people, regardless of their relationship with the person making the request.
He advised travellers to put their safety and freedom ahead of the fear of offending friends, relatives or acquaintances who ask them to carry packages.
“Choose to offend the person than go to jail. BE WISE!” he added.
The NDLEA spokesperson also called on Nigerians to share the warning with their friends and family members, so that unsuspecting travellers do not get drawn into drug trafficking.
The agency has repeatedly cautioned travellers against accepting packages whose contents they cannot independently verify, noting that traffickers may exploit personal relationships and unsuspecting couriers to move illicit substances across borders.
