From Brazil with Cocaine: How a dream wedding collapsed at Lagos airport
Written by Shehu Abubakar, who was in Lagos
A middle-aged newly wedded Ngozi, who travelled all the way from Uga in Anambra State, in company of her friends and relations to receive her groom who arrived the country from Brazil collapsed and fainted at the arrival hall of the Murtala Mohammed International airport, Lagos when she saw that fierce- looking operatives of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had grabbed her husband and dragged him to a secluded area of the airport.

Ezennia Christian Okwui, 39, had arrived the airport aboard a South African airline from Brazil only to be arrested by NDLEA operatives shortly after the screening machine had raised an alarm, indicating that Okwui might be carrying something the machine did not approve of. Efforts by the lady to welcome her groom were frustrated by the operatives who led him away into their search room for further scrutiny.

But Ngozi could not hold herself as she broke down in tears when she was told that 53 grams of cocaine were found in the canvass of her newly wedded husband. She immediately collapsed and fainted when Okwui, now in handcuffs and held on both sides of his trousers, was brought out of the screening room and taken to where he was to be detained while his case was being investigated.

When the lady was revived, she told Sunday Trust that her disappointing experience was the handiwork of her detractors back at home. “People are wicked. I know some people do not want me to travel out. They do not want me to progress at all. The wicked ones are at work again! My people warned me not to let anybody know that Ezennia was coming to take me to Brazil, but I did not adhere to the advice. Look at what is happening now!

“Ezennia and I agreed that I should organise a reception for him. The reception was to take place in the village tomorrow. Everybody knows we are travelling to Brazil together next week. I know some people do not like it and they must do everything to scuttle the plans. We have already bought drinks and invited drummers. The stage is set for the reception. See what our enemies are doing now to disgrace me,” she cried.

Ngozi said she had already printed cards and distributed to her friends, including the students of Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka in Anambra State from where she graduated. She said she had hinged her hope of making it in life on her husband. She said she had already obtained an international passport in readiness for the trip.

But Okwui, who said he had lived in Brazil for over seven years, alleged that his Brazilian girlfriend with whom he had lived, was responsible for his ordeal. He admitted that he had earlier promised to marry her but later decided to marry a Nigerian (Ngozi), a development that made the Brazilian lady very angry, and threatened to deal with him.

“I strongly suspect my Brazilian girlfriend whom I did not marry to be responsible for my ordeal. She sent hoodlums to attack me in my house in Brazil but I escaped. I am sure she was the one that leaked the information to the authorities that I always travel with drugs and that information was communicated to the NDLEA who set up this trap for me. I am sure she is the one that planned this against me,” he said.

Okwui said he came to Nigeria to take his bride to Sao Paulo where he lived. According to him he was in jewellery trade and owned two shops in Brazil. Okwui claimed to have a valid residence permit in Brazil, thanks to his Brazilian girlfriend.

But the NDLEA Commander at the Lagos airport, Mr. Victor Cole-Showers, who was not categorical on whether the agency was actually hinted by any foreign partner on the movement and activities of Okwui. He said the agency possessed the latest model machine for detecting illicit drugs. It was donated to it by the United States government.

He said Okwui would be charged to court as soon as undercover agents of the agency concluded their investigations on the suspect. He said Okwui was helping the agency with useful information on global illicit drug business.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NDLEA, Mr Mitchell Ofuyeju, said there were clear indications that Okwui was a habitual drug peddler who must explain to the agency his past deeds. He said the agency would be interested in knowing his contacts in Nigeria.

But Miss Augustina Onyeakusi, who was with Ngozi at the airport told Sunday Trust that neither the bride nor herself knew that Okwui had anything to do with drugs. “I know that he visits Nigeria from time to time and whenever he comes Ngozi would invite me to go and see him. He is a nice guy, he is so caring. I just hope they will let him go.

“I am sure Ngozi is so worried because she doesn’t know how to explain to the crowd waiting for us at home that we could not return home with Okwui. You know, when we were leaving home, it was like we were going to come back with the only man of the society. All the boys and girls, and even the elders are there waiting to see our arrival and how the ceremony goes,” she said.

Efforts by the bride and her acquintances to confer with the suspect were frustrated by NDLEA operatives. The bride was prevented from seeing her groom on the excuse that Okwui was writing a voluntary statement to the agency, hence he must not be obstructed. It was not clear if the bride succeeded in seeing her detained groom before leaving Lagos for the village.


http://www.sunday.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=516:from-brazil-with-cocaine-how-a-dream-wedding-collapsed-at-lagos-airport&catid=41:latest-news&Itemid=26

One bird caged,One less up the sky.
@Topic,Ngozi's story is really pathetic,blaming others for her hubbys arrest
She shld just go home and lick her wounds.

Ngozi is not intouch wit reality blamin unseen pple 4 her predicament. Shld her lucky stars she wasnt married to him and gotten herself in his line of biz.

Okwui's options were clear. He knew the implications and consequences of his trade. It is no wonder to him what he is going through. Ngozi should take heart. My boyfriend dey abroad but no one knows wetin im dey do. I feel for Ngozi though

MrCrackles:

I am sure the dude knows a lot more about the drugs. . . .
The chick called Ngozi should shut the fuc.k up and quit blaming others for her predicament!
Na she wey dem go first promise to carry go Brazil
Lock up the bloodclat till the truth comes out

MrCrackles:

What?
Stay right in the religious threads. . . . . . And do us a favour, dont quote me again!

I would appreciate it if u return the favour and NEVER quote me again.

they both got what the deserve. he for being a drug/death dealer and she for marrying someone that she didnt truly know.

Chillax MrCrackles
The bride is just pathetic. . .though i feel sorry for her. what the heck is blaming the enemies for? did the enemies make her husband peddle drugs or did they make him fool around with d Brazilian babe. She should consider herself lucky that she didn't get arrested as an accomplice instead of pointing fingers at the wrong people.

Trust Nigerians. No responsibility for their actions. "The devil made me do it"

To be very honest,anything is possible in Nigeria
While that may not be the case here but those airport security are capable of planting anything and nabbing whomever they will when money changes hands.

Just pray that you are no where on the streets when they have to arrest somebody to solve a crime,they'll shoot you down,comot ya shirt,pull down your pants and place guns at your side for a picture.That's our Nigerian police force.
Who knows how many people they have terminated in that way.

@$0sisi
nobody planted anything on the guy at Murtala.
all the planting and packaging was done in Brazil.
If the guy is really into drugs, he MUST be a fool to have put it in his canvass. very stupid indeed.

All flights coming into Lagos from drug producing countries such as India, Pakistan, thailand, Brazil, Columbia, Nepal, Veitnam, etc are under serious scrutiny.
The passengers are always checked and rechecked for drugs either ingested or packaged and hiden.
A friend of mine who imports some items from India, says he is always scanned each time he arrives from India.

some years ago, i had arrived Lagos aboard ethiopian airways from Hong Kong. we had a brief transit in thailand where we picked up more lagos bound passengers. on arrival at Lagos, the NDLEA operatives seperated passengers from hong kong and detained the ones from Thailand. They just checked my passport and saw i was returning from Hong kong and asked me to go.
the passengers from thailand had their luggages seriously checked and they(passengers) were subjected to Xrays.

am sure dat was not his first time of conceiling such thing in his canvas

but quite unfortunate dat he was caught

everyday 4 the thief 1 day 4 the owner

I agree he should be punished for bringing drugs into the country but surely 53g of whatever is not really newsworthy IMO.

abeg lets not make pathetic excuses and start blaming or pointing fingers _{like Ngozi}
Okwui is clearly a drug peddlar. . .he even admitted that.He shld have known as a "packaging bird" that sonner or later he wud get caught esp since he had a misunderstanding with the Brazillian GF who knows whats up. . .one wud have expected him to be extra careful or change his mode of operating.

That dude knows more about the drugs than he's telling. Ngozi shld count herself lucky though its heartrending. though

i thought they only take drugs out of Nigeria for money not bring in, is there something i dont know?

ayomifull:

i thought they only take drugs out of Nigeria for money not bring in, is there something i dont know?

Rofl.
No sweetie,They bring in drugs fromcountries like Brazil,Columbia,Pakistan into 9ja and most african countries.

People will never owe up to their stupidity, always looking for people to point their dirty fingers at