Drugs: 165 Nigerian women in British prisons
By Gboyega Akinsanmi, 12.08.2008
Monday, December 8, 2008

One hundred and sixty-five Nigerian women convicted of drug trafficking and other related offences are currently serving varied jail terms in different prisons in the United Kingdom (UK), THISDAY reports.




In an online interview with THISDAY weekend, Director of FPWP Hibiscus London, Ms Olga Heaven, put the total number of Nigerian women in all British prisons at 235, 70 per cent of whom were sentenced for drug importation and trafficking.

FPWP Hibiscus is a non-governmental organisation working on drug-related issues. It kicked off the re-launch of National Anti-Drug Trafficking Campaign in Lagos last month in partnership with the Federal Government and British High Commission in Nigeria.

Heaven also said almost 90 per cent of drug mules globally are mothers or careers to several children, a situation she described as disturbing and worrisome given the negative effects on both domestic and global economies.

She identified ignorance of consequences of drug trafficking, desperation, harsh economic conditions and poverty as driving factors that pushed most of the inmates into the odd business.

She thus called on all tiers of government to take actions that would address social and economic miseries leading young men, women and mothers into drug business.

According to her, “There are currently 235 Nigerian women in prisons in the United Kingdom. This is quite disturbing and worrisome because 70 per cent of them sentenced are for drugs importation and trafficking. This is a bad trend, which deserve better attention.

“The reasons leading young people into the drug business vary. As a result, there are a variety of reasons. However, ignorance of consequences, desperation and abject poverty play their part and led hundreds of young people into the odd business for money.”

She said the launch of a jingle, Bola Gets Rich Quick, “represents a true account of what led hundreds of women into drug trafficking and importation.”

The jingle, she said, was designed to educate all Nigerians at all levels on the consequences of trafficking (or importing) hard drugs.

“My advice to women or men who become so desperate and want to use their bodies to transport drugs is to think of the risk to their health, separation for their families and friends and especially separation from their children.

“They have to realize that they might be the unlucky ones. If you are caught, you will go to prison,” she said.

The impact of the trend, Heaven said, was enormous because children “are often abandoned and abused, while their mothers are away serving their sentences. If we are able to stop 10 women from becoming drugs mules, we are saving the lives of 40 children and helping to prevent these children from misery.”

She also linked the growth in drug trafficking to international trade.

She said: “The global trade in narcotics is worth billions of dollars per year. The huge amount of money at stake makes it one of the most lucrative and dangerous of criminal businesses.

“Globalization, banking deregulation and free trade agreements play into the hands of drugs syndicates. Some of these drug syndicates and traffickers have the organisation and reach of multinational businesses which make drug business easier for them.

“The women drug mules are made the scapegoat for the systems ineffectual attempt to halt the trade.”

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/dec/8/202.html