PESHAWAR, April 12: A Nigerian national, who has served jail term for drug smuggling, is facing problems to go back home as customs officials are allegedly withholding his luggage despite a court order issued in 2001.

Olanka Friday Salami was released from prison three months ago and is an illegal immigrant in Pakistan since. In addition to the trouble he is suffering at the hands of the customs department, he does not have money to pay for his air ticket.

He claimed that due to negligence of the customs officials his ticket had expired. The Peshawar district and sessions judge had ordered the officials concerned on Oct 29, 2001 to return Salami his luggage, including the ticket. Since then he has been approaching the officials, but on one pretext or another they have not returned the luggage yet.

Salami was arrested at the Peshawar International Airport on July 22, 2001. He was found to have concealed in his abdomen 79 capsules filled with heroin, weighing one kilogram.

He stated before the trial court that he was a poor man and had been trapped by a gang of drug traffickers.

The court adopted a lenient view and sentenced him to three years imprisonment.