I was a businessman working out of Lagos. I had opened a second-hand electronic appliances shop selling laptops, printing machines, photocopy machines, etc. I had traveled to Hong Kong many times to source these second-hand electrical appliances.
But my business faced a downturn because of the pandemic. I had to close down my shop but I owed creditors and did not have any means to settle the debts.
When I was arrested and sent to jail, I could not sleep and I kept on asking myself: How could I have been so stupid as to turn to swallowing drugs for trafficking knowing very well it is illegal and doing so came at great risk?
My creditor told me I could pay back my loan and also earn some money if I agreed to deliver goods to Hong Kong for his Argentine friend. I was told his friend could pay my debts and in addition, US$2,000 if I agreed to deliver drugs to Hong Kong. So with the pressure of repaying my debts, I agreed to take the trip and once there, I was asked to swallow pellets of drugs. The plan was that someone would contact me upon my arrival in Hong Kong, but I was arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport on October 10th, 2023.
I have since been on remand for 18 months and awaiting my sentencing.
When I was arrested and sent to jail, I could not sleep and I kept on asking myself: How could I have been so stupid as to turn to swallowing drugs for trafficking knowing very well it is illegal and doing so came at great risk? I regretted having done that, ending up in jail, and separated from my wife and children. How can they make ends meet if I am the only breadwinner in the family? What will happen to my family? I am married with three children aged 3, 5, and 9 years old. There is no one back in Lagos to take care of them. My children had to stop going to school. I am very worried about them and feel very ashamed that I have placed them in such a desperate situation.
I miss them very much and I do not know how long my sentence will be but definitely, it will not be short. I will not be able to see my children growing up. I cannot hug them and see them to bed. I should have found other means to tackle my debt problem but instead, I imagined that I could be lucky to earn some fast money and pay off my debt.
I hope no one will follow in my footsteps. Never try your luck and engage in anything illegal. By trafficking drugs, one is doing serious harm to society even to the extent of killing innocent people addicted to drugs. I regret what I have done and the damages and miseries I have caused my family.
Do not follow in my footsteps. Do not be used by so-called friends. They are not your friends if they ask you to engage in drug trafficking. I will have many years to suffer in jail and isolation and separated from my family who I love and I miss so much. My stupid act caused me dearly, years of my life to lost.
Note: This letter is a combination of two letters and has been edited from its original to improve readability.
