NDLEA Caught 67-Year-Old Nigerian-British Grandmother with Cocaine Disguised as Plantain

By Emmanuel Kwada

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, arresting several suspects across the country, including a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother allegedly caught attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside fake plantain peels through Lagos airport.

The suspect, identified as Mrs. Mary Barek, was apprehended at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.

According to the NDLEA, a detailed search of her luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine carefully packaged to resemble hands of plantain and concealed among food items. The illicit substance weighed approximately 13 kilograms.

NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the elderly suspect admitted ownership of the drugs during interrogation.

“A thorough search of her bags resulted in the discovery of 31 big wraps of cocaine which were packaged to appear like plantain hands, weighing a total of 13 kilograms. In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits,” Babafemi said.

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives arrested Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a 45-year-old doctoral student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, over his alleged involvement in an international cocaine trafficking syndicate.

Investigators traced Onyeka to his hometown in Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra State, following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance.

The agency revealed that operatives had earlier intercepted 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.8 kilograms concealed within cartons of Orijin Bitters intended for export to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The interception led to the arrest of four suspects in Lagos, including a cargo agent, a driver, a trader, and a supplier of the cartons allegedly used in concealing the narcotics.

According to the NDLEA, investigations eventually identified Onyeka as the alleged mastermind behind the operation.

The agency also reported significant arrests and drug recoveries in several states.

In Taraba State, operatives arrested Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area. Officers recovered 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden inside specially modified fuel tanks of two vehicles.

In Kaduna State, NDLEA operatives raided a location in Gwantu and arrested Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, recovering 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Similarly, in Ebonyi State, a 65-year-old suspect, Francis Ifara Eja, was apprehended with 231.7 kilograms of skunk, while in Plateau State, Alhaji Babani, 75, was arrested with 15 kilograms of skunk.

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

Beyond enforcement operations, the anti-narcotics agency said it continues to expand its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through awareness programmes in schools, religious centres, workplaces, and communities nationwide.

Recent sensitisation exercises were held in educational institutions across Anambra, Enugu, Ogun, and Kano states, among others, as part of efforts to discourage substance abuse and promote public awareness.

Marwa Commends Operatives

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised officers involved in the recent operations for their commitment to both drug interdiction and public enlightenment.

Marwa commended commands in Lagos, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Gombe states for what he described as impressive operational successes, urging officers nationwide to sustain the momentum and continue raising the agency’s enforcement standards.

The latest arrests underscore the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and curb the flow of illicit substances within and beyond Nigeria’s borders, as authorities intensify surveillance at airports, highways, and border communities across the country.