NDLEA

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mary Yetunde Barek, after allegedly discovering 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside fake plantain peels at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The arrest was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of…...

The arrest was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, July 5, 2026.

According to the agency, Barek, a caregiver based in the United Kingdom, was apprehended at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London on Sunday, June 28.

A thorough search of her luggage led to the discovery of 31 large wraps of cocaine carefully packaged to resemble bunches of plantain and hidden among other food items.

The NDLEA said the illicit drug weighed a total of 13 kilograms, adding that the suspect admitted ownership of the recovered cocaine during interrogation.

In a related operation, the agency uncovered another cocaine trafficking syndicate after intercepting 5.8 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The agency said the seizure led to the arrest of a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, who was identified as the alleged mastermind of the syndicate.

His arrest in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State followed the earlier arrest of four suspects in Lagos, including cargo agent Alalade Taiwo Azeez, driver Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi, trader Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie and Igwilo Chidi Henry, who allegedly supplied the Orijin Bitters cartons used to conceal the cocaine.

The NDLEA said investigations eventually traced Onyeka to his hometown of Aziora, Ozubulu, where he was arrested while hiding.

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In Taraba State, operatives arrested 30-year-old Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke on Saturday, July 4, after recovering 43,980 capsules of tramadol concealed inside two vehicle fuel tanks along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area.

The suspect was reportedly travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State, when he was intercepted.

In Kaduna State, two suspects, Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were arrested during a raid in Gwantu with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Similarly, a 65-year-old Francis Ifara Eja was arrested with 231.7 kilograms of skunk in Ikwo, Ebonyi State, while 75-year-old Alhaji Babani was nabbed with 15 kilograms of skunk in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State.

In Gombe State, NDLEA operatives also arrested Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, after recovering 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms at Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.

Beyond enforcement operations, the agency said it continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities across the country, including institutions in Anambra, Enugu, Ogun and Kano states.

Commending the officers involved in the operations, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised personnel of the MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi and Gombe Commands for their efforts.

“I commend the officers and men of MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures. I also note your drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities, and I charge you and your compatriots across the country to continue to raise the operational bar,” Marwa said.