I will go to jail with my daughter – Drug courier

Udoka Peace Egbuchelam is a 28-year-old single mother. Since her separation from her husband a couple of years back, Udoka had taken custody of her five-year-old daughter the product of the marriage. One thing Udoka lacked as a child and which she was determined to give her daughter is qualitative education. Udoka was ready to do anything to achieve this aim.

The marriage to her husband and father of the young girl had ended on a sour note and as the man could not take custody of the girl, it looked increasingly clear that Udoka’s dream of giving her daughter a sound educational footing was heading for the rocks. This Udoka would not allow happening.

In a bid to achieve her aim, the Mbaitolu Local Government Area of Imo Stateborn trader decided to take her destiny in her own hands: she soon took to drug couriering.

Recently, Udoka was billed to fly Ethiopian Airline from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Malaysia. She was reportedly laden with 1.1kg of banned methamphetamine drug. Udoka, who attended Nza Central School and Girls Secondary School, both in Uzobulu, Anambra State, though did not deny her culpability of the charge, however demanded that in the event that she would end up in jail, she would love to be there with her only hope; her daughter.

Speaking with anti-narcotics operatives after her arrest, Udoka claimed that she was lured into the illicit trade by the promised reward of $2, 700. “I wanted to pay the school fees of my daughter. Since my arrest, I have been worried because I do not know how she is coping without me,” she said adding that if the authorities would agree, she would prefer to be with her daughter in detention.