Nigerian-British grandma arrested with 13kg cocaine concealed in plantain peels
– arrest PhD student over Malaysia-bound cocaine shipment; 75-year-old grandpa in Plateau
A 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandma, Mrs. Mary Yetunde Barek, has 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.
The suspect who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom was arrested at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
She was nabbed attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic airline flight to London on Sunday 28th June 2026.
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 allegedly admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits.
Meanwhile, a sting operation in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday 29th June 2026, has resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old PhD student of the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka.
He was arrested over the seizure of 5.80 kilograms of cocaine concealed in walls of nine cartons of Orijin bitters, a consignment that was part of a consolidated cargo heading to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The arrest of Nwabueze in Anambra state followed the interception of 36 parcels of cocaine, with a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms, concealed within the walls of the herbal drink cartons.
Four other suspects initially arrested in parts of Lagos during investigations include: the cargo agent, Alalade Taiwo Azeez; the driver who conveyed the consignment to the cargo agent, Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi; a trader at ASPANDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos who handed over the consignment to the driver for delivery to the cargo agent, Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie and an accomplice who supplied the cartons of Origin bitters used in concealing the cocaine, Igwilo Chidi Henry.
Their arrest led to the unmasking of Nwabueze hiding in his village Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra state as the leader of the syndicate.
Meanwhile, in Taraba, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Saturday 4th July arrested a suspect, Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, with 43,980 capsules of Tramadol concealed inside two vehicle fuel tanks along Zaki-biam road Wukari Local Government Area of the state, while coming from Onitsha, Anambra state.
The agency also said it arrested two suspects, Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, who were in possession of 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine. They were nabbed by NDLEA officers on Thursday 2nd July during a raid in Gwantu, Kaduna state.
Similarly, a 65-year-old suspect, Francis Ifara Eja, was nabbed with 231.7kg skunk at Ikwo, Ebonyi state on Saturday 4th July. Similarly, while another suspect, 75-year-old Alhaji Babani was arrested in possession of 15kg skunk at Kurgwi, Qua’anpan LGA, Plateau state on Friday 3rd July.
In Gombe, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Wednesday 1st July arrested the duo of Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, at Kuri village, Yamaltu- Deba LGA, where they were found with 587 blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing 556 kilograms.
