The Chairman Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa has denied a media report titled ” Egypt, Ethiopian Airlines Running Drug Cartels in Nigeria” says Dabiri-Erewa.”
The denial is contained in a press release signed by her Special Assistant on media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun and made available to journalists on Thursday in Abuja.
Dabiri said that the report was incorrect and not a true reflection of what she said during the Senate committee public hearing chaired by Senator Kabiru Gaya on Wednesday.
The statement reads, “The attention of Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has been drawn to some news headlines accusing some foreign airlines of running drugs cartels in the country.
“The headline which reads “Egypt, Ethiopian Airlines Running Drug Cartels in Nigeria,” says Dabiri-Erewa, is a figment of the Reporter’s imagination.
“Dabiri-Erewa had during the hearing stressed the need for those two airlines to ensure compulsory baggage identification as all cases recorded on the issue of drugs had been from both airlines.
“Luckily enough, the representative of Ethiopian Air, who was at the public hearing, promised that baggage identification would be strengthened.”
Dabiri noted that the Senate public hearing was geared towards probing the circumstances surrounding the framing up and eventual arrest of Zainab Aliyu in Saudi Arabia over allegation of carrying tramadol drug in her baggage.
She urged members of the public to discountenance the publication, adding that it does represent what transpired at the hearing.