Family pressures turned me into drug trafficker, says 53-year-old mother

For five years, dealing in illicit drugs has been the major source of livelihood for Mrs. Sinorobo John.

But the arm of the law caught up with her recently as she was apprehended with 20.9kg of Cannabis sativa, popularly known as Indian Hemp, at Kolokuma in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The suspect, an indigene of Kolokuma, unlike many criminals who would not admit their involvement in the illegal business, readily confessed that she was indeed a drug dealer.

John, a mother of three, told operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency while being paraded with other drug dealing suspects, that she did it because of poverty occasioned by family pressures.

She said, “I have done the business for five years. I was forced into the illegal business to enable me to raise money to take care of my three children.

“I have been groaning under the heavy weight of family pressures because my husband, who used to be the breadwinner has been ill for over five years.

“As I have nobody to turn to and life became so unkind to me, I was compelled to take to the illegal drug business to survive.”

Though she confessed knowing the business was illegal, she nevertheless went into it because of the financial strains she found herself.

John said she was happy that at least, within the period she operated the business, she was able to eke a living and pay her children’s school fees.

John, who appeared remorseful, having cooled off in the drug enforcement agency’s detention, appealed to the relevant authorities to temper justice with mercy.

“I beg the government to temper justice with mercy. I regret doing the business. I was thoroughly messed up by poverty that I thought what I was doing was right.

“Even as I am here, I pity my children because they have nobody to take care of them. My husband, who should have taken care of them, has been bed-ridden for many years now.”

Apart from John, the NDLEA also paraded five other suspected drug dealers – Erikefe Oparafe; Benedict Uju; Ebi Famoh; Odju Benjamin and Onyebuchi Nwanze.

On his part, Oparafe, who hails from Ughelli North in Delta State, claimed he was a commercial driver.

The 23-year-old man said he was lured into the illicit business of dealing in cannabis when his vehicle engine knocked and his principal refused to repair the vehicle.

Oparafe said, “I am a commercial bus driver. I was managing myself until the engine of the vehicle I was driving knocked. When I met the vehicle owner, he refused to work on it. So, I could not go to work again.

“As I was suffering because of that, my friends advised that I should devise other means to survive. My attempt to keep body and soul together made me to turn to drug trafficking to help myself.”

The suspect, who was arrested with 58kg of cannabis sativa, claimed that he was caught on his first attempt.

He promised that if he was set free, he would not go back to the illegal business again.

Nwanze, a building materials trader, was caught in possession of cocaine.

He claimed he took to trafficking cocaine because his business collapsed.

The 34-year-old indigene of Anambra State, said he was nabbed by NDLEA operatives at Tombia area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

“This is my first time. I blame the devil for my woes. I promise not to go back to the business. I appeal to the authorities to have pity on me and let me off the hook,” the suspect begged remorsefully.

The then Bayelsa State NDLEA Commander, Mr. Frank Hanachor, who now heads the Delta State Command, said they would be arraigned as soon as the judiciary calls off its strike.