The Chairman of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NDC), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has spoken about the activities of drug cartels, who smuggle drugs into the luggage of unsuspecting passengers.
Dabiri-Erewa, who appeared before the Senate ad hoc committee set up in connection with the case of Zainab Aliyu, a Nigerian student, and others said cases investigated involved either Ethiopian Airlines or Egypt Air.
She also decried the level of security in Nigerian airports and expressed worry over alleged non-functionality of scanners at airports.
Dabiri-Erewa, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, advised airline operators to ensure compulsory baggage identification.
“We are talking about scanners and customs. The question is, are the scanners at our airport working? There is virtually no security surveillance at our airports.
“In moving forward, we just have to forget about blame-game but work to ensure that we have proper security surveillance at our airports.
“Secondly, Zainab and Ibrahim’s case was an inside job. There were people in there that were experts in doing this to other people’s bags. So, where are they and who are they?
“I’m sorry to say, in all cases we’ve investigated; only two airlines have been involved, Ethiopian airline and Egypt air. All the cases, I didn’t say some. It’s been Ethiopia Air and Egypt Air.
“So, those two airlines, we have to, first of all, ensure compulsory baggage identification. Everybody going on that route, you must ensure that every passenger identifies their bags. If they don’t do that, don’t carry those bags. Because there are cartels inside there working on those things,” she said.
