NDLEA arrests 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother with 13kg cocaine hidden in fake plantains at Lagos airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos after discovering 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in packages made to resemble plantains. The suspect, identified as Mary Yetunde Barek, was intercepted at the departure hall of Terminal 2 while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London on Saturday, June 28.

How the drugs were concealed

The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that officers found the illicit drugs hidden among other food items in the suspect’s luggage. The cocaine was packaged in 31 large wraps designed to look like plantain hands, an apparent attempt to evade detection. Barek, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, reportedly admitted ownership of the cocaine during interrogation.

Separate operation: PhD student arrested in cocaine syndicate

In a separate operation, the NDLEA 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. The drugs were concealed inside the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur. 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.

Wider crackdown across several states

The NDLEA said its enforcement operations continued across several states, leading to additional arrests and seizures. In Taraba State, 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.

What this means for Nigeria

The NDLEA has sustained its crackdown on illicit drug trafficking and abuse across Nigeria. The agency secured 974 convictions of drug offenders 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. A 69-year-old medical doctor, Dr. Chudi Daniel Ofomata, was also arrested in Ogun State for allegedly coordinating the movement of 1.49 kilograms of cocaine intercepted at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. Between 2025 and June 2026, the NDLEA’s MMIA Strategic Command seized 9,058.543 kilograms of illicit drugs and arrested 260 suspects. These arrests signal that the agency is maintaining pressure on trafficking networks, which could help reduce the flow of narcotics into Nigerian communities and protect the country’s reputation as a transit hub.