Nigerian-British grandma nabbed with cocaine concealed in plantain peels
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandma, Mrs Mary Yetunde Barek, following the discovery of 13 kilograms of suspected cocaine concealed in peels of plantain which appeared as real plantains and packed among other food items in her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos. […]
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandma, Mrs Mary Yetunde Barek, following the discovery of 13 kilograms of suspected cocaine concealed in peels of plantain which appeared as real plantains and packed among other food items in her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos.
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 June 28, 2026.
NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday while highlighting the exploits of the agency across the country in the past week.
According to the statement, a thorough search of the suspect’s bags resulted in the discovery of 31 big wraps of cocaine which were packaged to appear like plantain hands, weighing a total of 13 kilogrammes.
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“In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, a sting operation in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday 29th June, 2026 has resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka over the seizure of 5.80 kilogrammes 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 statement noted that the arrest of Nwabueze in Anambra State followed the interception of 36 parcels of cocaine, with a gross weight of 5.80 kilogrammes, 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 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, NDLEA operatives, acting on credible intelligence on Saturday July 4, 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.
Two suspects: Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were arrested in possession of 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine by NDLEA officers on Thursday 2nd July during an operation at Gwantu, Gwantu LGA Kaduna state, while a 65-year-old suspect, Francis Ifara Eja, was nabbed with 231.7kg skunk at Ikwo, Ebonyi state on Saturday 4th July.
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, the statement noted that 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.
“With the same level of dedication, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week,” the statement noted.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted that their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitisation activities.
He charged them and their compatriots across the country to continue to raise the operational bar.