Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mrs. Mary Yetunde Barek, after allegedly intercepting 13 kilograms of cocaine ingeniously concealed inside fake plantain peels at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The agency disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, that the suspect, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
According to the NDLEA, officers who conducted a thorough search of her luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine packaged to resemble fresh hands of plantain and hidden among food items.
“The suspect who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic airline flight to London on Sunday 28th June 2026. A thorough search of her bags resulted in the discovery of 31 big wraps of cocaine which were packaged to appear like plantain hands, weighing a total of 13 kilograms,” the agency stated.
The agency added that the suspect admitted ownership of the illicit consignment during interrogation.
“In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits,” the statement added.
In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives uncovered what they described as an international drug trafficking syndicate after intercepting 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed within the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The agency said investigations culminated in the arrest of 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, who was apprehended in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday, June 29, after allegedly being identified as the mastermind of the shipment.
According to the agency, the arrest followed the interception of 36 parcels of cocaine hidden inside the cartons of herbal drink.
The NDLEA disclosed that four other suspects earlier arrested in Lagos during the investigation included cargo agent Alalade Taiwo Azeez, driver Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi, trader Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie, and Igwilo Chidi Henry, who allegedly supplied the Orijin Bitters cartons used to conceal the drugs.
“The efforts eventually paid off, leading to the unmasking of Nwabueze hiding in his village, Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra State, as the leader of the syndicate,” the statement said.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence arrested 30-year-old Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke along the Zaki-Biam-Wukari Road on Saturday, July 4, after allegedly discovering 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden inside two vehicle fuel tanks in a vehicle travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State.
The agency also announced a series of arrests across the country as part of its ongoing nationwide clampdown on illicit drugs.
In Kaduna State, officers arrested Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, during a raid in Gwantu on Thursday, July 2, where they allegedly recovered 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Similarly, 65-year-old Francis Ifara Eja was arrested with 231.7 kilograms of skunk in Ikwo, Ebonyi State, on Saturday, July 4, while 75-year-old Alhaji Babani was apprehended with 15 kilograms of skunk in Kurgwi, Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State on Friday, July 3.
In Gombe State, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence arrested Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, at Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area on Wednesday, July 1, where they allegedly recovered 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms.
Beyond enforcement operations, the agency said it sustained its nationwide War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitisation programmes conducted in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.
According to the statement, awareness lectures were held at Girls Secondary School, Abagana, Anambra State; Government Technical College, Obe, Enugu State; Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State; and the FCE Staff Demonstration School, Kabuga, Kano State, among other institutions.
Commending officers involved in the various operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the commands for combining aggressive drug supply reduction efforts with sustained public enlightenment campaigns.
“While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to continue to raise the operational bar,” the statement said.
