NDLEA Arrests Nigerian-British Grandma with 13kg Cocaine Hidden in Fake Plantain Peels, Busts Malaysia-Bound Drug Syndicate

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mrs. Mary Yetunde Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The suspect, a United Kingdom-based caregiver, was apprehended at the departure hall of Terminal 2 while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London. According to the agency, a search of her luggage uncovered 31 wraps of cocaine carefully packaged to resemble fresh plantains and hidden among food items. She reportedly admitted ownership of the illicit drug.

In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested a 45-year-old PhD student of the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, over his alleged role as the mastermind of a drug trafficking syndicate. The arrest followed the interception of 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The agency said investigations initially led to the arrest of four suspects in Lagos, including a cargo agent, a driver, a trader and a supplier of the cartons used to conceal the cocaine, before Onyeka was tracked to his hometown in Ozubulu, Anambra State, where he was arrested.

In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives intercepted 43,980 capsules of tramadol hidden inside two vehicle fuel tanks and arrested a suspect, Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, along the Wukari–Zaki Biam Road.

The agency also recorded other major drug seizures across Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau and Gombe states. Two suspects were arrested with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine in Kaduna, while 231.7 kilograms of skunk were recovered in Ebonyi. In Plateau State, a 75-year-old man, Alhaji Babani, was arrested with 15 kilograms of skunk, while in Gombe, operatives recovered 556 kilograms of cannabis sativa and arrested two suspects.

Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA said it continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign in schools and communities across several states, including Anambra, Enugu, Ogun and Kano.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations for sustaining the agency’s drug supply reduction efforts while also promoting public awareness against drug abuse. He urged commands nationwide to maintain the momentum in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.