Many people no longer do pilgrimage for the sake of God anymore. They either do it for business or crime.

That was the case with Basira Binuyo who was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, during the outward screening of passengers.

The 55-year-old was found to be carrying 76 pellets of cocaine in her stomach.

She was made to excrete the drugs at the airport and she is still under observation until the drugs are completely expelled.

The mother of three is a trader at Dosumu market, Lagos. She had planned to traffic the drugs to the holy land in order to make quick cash.

“I wanted to expand my cosmetic business but I have no money. My sponsor offered to foot my expenses to Saudi on pilgrimage,” She said.

“I was excited until I was asked to take drugs along. I wanted to decline but considering the offer of a million naira, I accepted. I swallowed the drugs in Lagos and took flight to Abuja on my way to Medina but I was caught in the process.”

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also arrested one Henry Okpalanem, a father of three, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos with seven wraps of cocaine hidden in his anus.

The 37-year-old was on his way to China where drug trafficking is punished with death penalty.

He hails from Imo State, but holds a dual citizenship of Nigeria and Mali.

The name on his passport is Diara Sauduo, while his Nigerian name is Okpalanem Henry. Although he was on his way to China where drug trafficking is punishable by death, he did not show any form of remorse.

“I know that there is capital punishment for drug trafficking in China but I was optimistic of safe passage,” he said.