- Safiu Kehinde
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandma, Mary Yetunde Barek, following the discovery of 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in peels of plantain which appeared as real plantains.
Barek was alleged to have packed plantain peels among other food items in her luggage ehich was discovered at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
This was made known in a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, 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.
“In her statement, the elderly women admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits.” Babafemi wrote.
In another sting operation in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State last week, the NDLEA operatives arrested a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka.
Nwabueze was apprehended following the seizure of 5.80 kilograms of cocaine concealed in walls of nine cartons of Orijin bitters, a consignment that was part of a consolidated cargo heading to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The arrest of Nwabueze in Anambra state, according to Babafemi, followed the interception of 36 parcels of cocaine, with a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms, concealed within the walls of the herbal drink cartons.
Four suspects initially arrested in parts of Lagos during investigations include: the cargo agent, Alalade Taiwo Azeez; the driver who conveyed the consignment to the cargo agent, Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi; a trader at ASPANDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos who handed over the consignment to the driver for delivery to the cargo agent, Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie and an accomplice who supplied the cartons of Origin bitters used in concealing the cocaine, Igwilo Chidi Henry.
The arrest of the four suspects led to the unmasking of Nwabueze hiding in his village Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra state as the leader of the syndicate.
In Taraba, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Saturday arrested a suspect, Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, with 43,980 capsules of Tramadol concealed inside two vehicle fuel tanks along Zaki-biam road Wukari Local Government Area of the state, while coming from Onitsha, Anambra state.
Similary, two suspects: Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were arrested in possession of 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine by NDLEA officers on Thursday during a raid operation at Gwantu, Gwantu LGA Kaduna state.
In Ebonyi State, a 65-year-old suspect Francis Ifara Eja was nabbed with 231.7kg skunk at Ikwo area of the state.
Similarly, a 75-year-old grandpa Alhaji Babani was arrested in possession of 15kg skunk at Kurgwi, Qua’anpan LGA, Plateau state on Friday 3rd July.
In Gombe, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Wednesday 1st July arrested the duo of Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, at Kuri village, Yamaltu- Deba LGA, where they were found with 587 blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing 556 kilograms.