NDLEA Arrests Nigerian-British Grandmother With 13kg Cocaine Hidden in Plantain Peels

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian British woman at Lagos' Murtala Muhammed International Airport after officers allegedly found 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside fake plantain peels packed with food items in her luggage.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said in a statement Sunday that the suspect, identified as Mary Yetunde Barek, was arrested on June 28 while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.

A search of her luggage uncovered 31 wraps of cocaine disguised as plantain hands, weighing a total of 13 kilograms.

Babafemi said the suspect, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, admitted ownership of the drugs during interrogation.

The agency also announced the arrest of a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, who is accused of masterminding an attempt to smuggle 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside the walls of nine cartons of Orijin bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur.

According to NDLEA, the cocaine shipment was intercepted before export, leading investigators to arrest four suspects in Lagos, including a cargo agent, a driver and two alleged accomplices.

Follow-up investigations led operatives to Onyeka's hometown in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, where he was arrested on June 29.

In Taraba State, NDLEA officers arrested 30-year-old Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke on July 4 after allegedly discovering 43,980 capsules of tramadol hidden inside two vehicle fuel tanks along the Wukari-Zaki Biam road.

The agency also reported multiple drug seizures across the country.

In Kaduna State, officers arrested two suspects with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine during a raid in Gwantu. In Ebonyi State, a 65-year-old suspect was arrested with 231.7 kilograms of skunk, while a 75-year-old man was apprehended in Plateau State with 15 kilograms of the same substance.

In Gombe State, operatives arrested two suspects after recovering 556 kilograms of cannabis sativa from Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.

NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain the agency's dual strategy of drug supply reduction and public awareness campaigns.

"The drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities are commendable," Marwa said, urging personnel nationwide to "continue to raise the operational bar."