Officials of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, have arrested a 23-year-old Lebanese identified as Yves Awad with 260 grammes of cocaine hidden in his boxers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Awad was apprehended on Monday during the screening of passengers on board Middle East Airline flight bound for Lebanon.

While confessing to the crime, Awad who has a dual citizenship of Nigeria and Lebanon said, “I was born in Lagos and I attended Lebanese Community School, Yaba, Lagos. After my secondary education in Nigeria, I got admission to study for my A levels at Notre Dame University in Lebanon. My friend in Lebanon gave me money to buy cocaine for him. While at the airport, the drug was detected and I was arrested and taken to NDLEA office. The drug was tested and it was found to be cocaine.”

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr Hamza Umar, who confirmed the incident said the suspect was arrested while trying to board an aircraft to Lebanon.

He said, “The drug was hidden inside Awad’s boxers. When the drug was field-tested, it proved positive for cocaine. The suspect was found to have traveled to Nigeria from Lebanon six times since January 2015.”