NDLEA arrests Nigerian-British grandmother with 13kg cocaine disguised as plantains

A 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman has been arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) allegedly discovered 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in packages made to resemble plantains in her luggage.

The disclosure was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

According to the agency, the suspect, identified as Mary Yetunde Barek, was intercepted at the departure hall of the airport’s Terminal 2 while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London, with the illicit consignment hidden among other food items.

The agency said the arrest was part of its ongoing efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking across the country.

What they are saying

The NDLEA said the suspect, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, was arrested on Saturday, June 28, following a thorough search of her luggage. The agency said officers discovered the illicit drugs concealed in packages designed to resemble plantains.

• “A 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandma Mrs. Mary Yetunde Barek have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following the discovery of 13 kilograms of 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 agency recovered 31 large wraps of cocaine weighing a total of 13 kilograms, packaged to resemble plantain hands in an apparent attempt to evade detection.

According to the statement, Barek admitted ownership of the cocaine during interrogation.

The NDLEA also disclosed that in a separate operation, it arrested Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, over the seizure of 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur.

The agency said four suspects were initially arrested in Lagos before investigations led operatives to Onyeka in Anambra State, where he was identified as the alleged leader of the syndicate.

More insights

The NDLEA said its enforcement operations continued across several states, leading to additional arrests and seizures of illicit drugs. The agency said the operations targeted different categories of narcotics and suspected traffickers.

• In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives arrested 30-year-old Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke after recovering 43,980 capsules of tramadol concealed inside two vehicle fuel tanks.
• In Kaduna State, the agency arrested Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
• In Ebonyi State, Francis Ifara Eja, 65, was arrested with 231.7 kilograms of skunk.
• In Gombe State, operatives arrested Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, after recovering 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms. A 75-year-old suspect, Alhaji Babani, was also apprehended with 15 kilograms of skunk in Plateau State.

The arrests form part of the agency’s broader nationwide campaign against drug trafficking and abuse.

What you should know

The NDLEA has sustained its crackdown on illicit drug trafficking and abuse across Nigeria, targeting major suppliers, traffickers, and criminal networks. The agency has continued to record arrests, convictions, and significant drug seizures in recent months.

• Nairametrics earlier reported that the NDLEA secured 974 convictions of drug offenders across Nigeria in the first quarter of 2026, including 11 major drug kingpins sentenced to a combined 254 years in prison.
• In April, the agency arrested a 93-year-old man, Pa Friday Ahukanna Chigbu, in Abia State after recovering 7.7 kilograms of skunk from his residence. The suspect reportedly admitted to engaging in the illicit trade for more than a year.

The NDLEA also arrested a 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata, in Ogun State for allegedly coordinating the movement of 1.49 kilograms of cocaine intercepted at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. Controlled substances, including promazepam and promethazine injections, were recovered from his residence during the operation.

Earlier in June, the NDLEA’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport Strategic Command in Ikeja reported that it seized 9,058.543 kilograms of illicit drugs and arrested 260 suspects between 2025 and June 2026.