A 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mrs Mary Yetunde Barek, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following the discovery of 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in plantain peels made to appear like 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 at Lagos Airport while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London on Sunday, 28 June 2026. A thorough search of her bags resulted in the discovery of 31 large wraps of cocaine packaged to resemble bunches of plantains, weighing a total of 13 kilograms. In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine.
Meanwhile, a sting operation in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday, 29 June 2026, resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, following the seizure of 5.80 kilograms of cocaine concealed within the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters. The consignment was part of a consolidated cargo destined for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The arrest of Nwabueze in Anambra State 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 different parts of Lagos during the investigation were 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 the consignment to the driver for delivery to the cargo agent, Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie; and an accomplice who supplied the cartons of Orijin Bitters used to conceal the cocaine, Igwilo Chidi Henry. The investigation eventually paid off, leading to the unmasking of Nwabueze, who had been hiding in his village, Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra State, as the leader of the syndicate.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Saturday, 4 July 2026, arrested a suspect, Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, with 43,980 capsules of tramadol concealed inside two vehicle fuel tanks along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area of the state. He was travelling 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, 2 July, during a raid at Gwantu, Gwantu LGA, Kaduna State. Also, a 65-year-old suspect, Francis Ifara Eja, was arrested with 231.7 kilograms of skunk at Ikwo, Ebonyi State, on Saturday, 4 July. Similarly, a 75-year-old man, Alhaji Babani, was arrested in possession of 15 kilograms of skunk at Kurgwi, Qua’an Pan LGA, Plateau State, on Friday, 3 July.
In Gombe State, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Wednesday, 1 July, arrested Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, at Kuri Village, Yamaltu-Deba LGA, where they were found in possession of 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, workplaces and communities during the past week. These included WADA enlightenment lectures for students and staff of Girls Secondary School, Abagana, Anambra State; Government Technical College, Obe, Enugu State; Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State; and FCE Staff Demonstration School, Kabuga, Kano State, among others.
While commending the officers and personnel of the MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), noted that their drug supply reduction efforts were well balanced with WADA sensitisation activities. He charged them and their counterparts across the country to continue raising the operational bar.
