IMMIGRATION at Britain's Heathrow Airport in London have arrested a member of Arik Air's cabin crew while carrying 2.7kg of cocaine in a highly embarrassing development for Nigeria's biggest carrier.
According to the Nigerian Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the suspect is Chika Egwu Udensi, a steward with the airline. He has since been detained by the UK Border Force and Arik has promised to cooperate with the investigation as to what exactly happened.
Arik said it was presently carrying out its own investigation to determine how the cabin crew member came about the suspected banned substance. Arik spokesman Ola Adebanji, said the airline carries out very stringent checks on all members of staff and its passengers ahead of all flights and it would continue to focus its attention on measures to prevent future incidents.
Mr Adebanji added: “Arik Air will also be cooperating fully with the UK authorities and other appropriate agencies in their investigations. The airline again reaffirms its commitment to the fight against drug and illicit substance trafficking and will not tolerate the use of any of its aircraft or crew for the courier of banned items and substances.
“Arik Air is a responsible Nigerian company always seeking to maintain and uphold the integrity and proud reputation of the nation. The airline will continue to focus its attention on measures to prevent the possibility of any future similar incidents."
Until recently when security authorities stepped up measures to screen pilots and cabin crew, they were seen as easy conduits for the trafficking of drugs and other illicit substances. About two years, two crew members of the same airline were arrested, also in London, for the same offence.
In December 2011, a 29 year old Arik Air cabin crew, Chiwendu Uwkaoyenma, was also arrested in London for drug trafficking. She was jailed for five years in 2012.
Already, the NDLEA, has threatened to sanction Arik Air over the latest arrest of its crew member at Heathrow. It has commenced its own investigation into the incident after being notified of the arrest by the UK's National Crime Agency.
NDLEA spokesman Mitchell Odoyeju, said that its chief executive Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, had personally ordered a probe into what happened. She maintained that Nigeria had a cordial working relationship with the United Kingdom on drug control, which he said had resulted in a drastic reduction in the number of arrests made from flights originating from Nigeria over the years.
Ms Odoyeju added: “The agency will carry out a full scale investigation into this case to ascertain those behind the criminal act. We shall work closely with our international collaborators on the matter and Arik Airline will be sanctioned if found wanting.
“The agency shall invoke section 25 of the NDLEA Act against the airline, which states that it shall be the duty of every commercial carrier to take reasonable precaution to ensure that its means of transport are not used in the commission of offences under this act. Every commercial carrier is to comply with appropriate security measures at points of entry and exit in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other customs control areas, to prevent unauthorised cargo in its means of transportation.”
Ms Odoyeju emphasised that the law refers to the precautionary measures to include training of personnel, promotion of integrity of their personnel, submission of cargo manifests in advance, the use of tamper-resistant, individually verifiable seals on containers and reporting to the agency at the earliest opportunity all suspicious circumstances relating to drug trafficking. NDLEA described the latest incident as a national embarrassment.
