A commercial bus driver in Lagos narrowly escaped possible prosecution after a parcel he was transporting to Ondo State was found to contain cocaine and methamphetamine, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said.
The driver had reportedly accepted the parcel for delivery without knowing its contents, believing that the bottle handed to him was an energy drink meant for the recipient in Ondo State.
However, operatives of the NDLEA discovered that the bottle, which was presented as a Fearless energy drink, had allegedly been used to conceal the illicit drugs.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the development in a post on his X account on Sunday, warning commercial drivers and members of the public against accepting sealed parcels without knowing what they contain.
Babafemi explained that the driver spent some time in custody after the discovery, noting that he could have faced serious legal consequences because possession of an illicit substance can attract criminal liability.
He said the driver was eventually spared after NDLEA operatives traced the person who handed over the package to him and arrested the individual.
Babafemi cautioned drivers and parcel couriers not to assume that they would escape liability simply because they were unaware of the contents of packages entrusted to them.
He said, “Please avoid taking parcels you don’t know its content because possession makes you culpable, that’s the law.”
The NDLEA spokesman further warned that not everyone might be as fortunate as the driver, urging members of the public to exercise caution before agreeing to transport packages for other people.
