NDLEA arrests UK-based grandmother with cocaine hidden in fake plantain

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mrs Mary Barek, for allegedly attempting to traffic 13 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside fake plantain peels at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

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

In a statement issued on Sunday, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said officers discovered 31 large parcels of cocaine disguised as bunches of plantain and packed with other food items after conducting a detailed search of her luggage.

Babafemi said, “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.”

The agency also announced the arrest of a 45-year-old doctoral student at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, over an alleged attempt to export cocaine concealed in cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur.

According to Babafemi, Onyeka was arrested in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on June 29 after investigators identified him as the suspected leader of a drug trafficking network.

He revealed that operatives had earlier intercepted 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.80 kilograms hidden inside the walls of nine cartons of the herbal drink that were part of a cargo shipment bound for Malaysia.

The NDLEA spokesman said four suspects had initially been arrested in Lagos during the investigation. They include cargo agent Alalade Taiwo Azeez, driver Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi, ASPANDA Market trader Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie and Igwilo Chidi Henry, who allegedly supplied the cartons used to conceal the narcotics.

Babafemi said, “The efforts eventually paid off, leading to the unmasking of Nwabueze hiding in his village Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra State as the leader of the syndicate.”

In Taraba State, the agency said its operatives arrested a 30-year-old suspect, Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area on Saturday, July 4.

The NDLEA said officers recovered 43,980 capsules of Tramadol concealed in two specially modified fuel tanks.

In a separate operation in Kaduna State, officers arrested Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, during a raid in Gwantu Local Government Area on July 2, where 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine were allegedly seized.

Similarly, in Ebonyi State, a 65-year-old suspect, Francis Ifara Eja, was apprehended with 231.7 kilograms of skunk in Ikwo on July 4, while a 75-year-old suspect, Alhaji Babani, was arrested with 15 kilograms of the substance in Kurgwi, Qua’anpan Local Government Area of Plateau State, on July 3.

The agency also reported the arrest of Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, in Gombe State on July 1 with 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms at Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.

Beyond its enforcement activities, the NDLEA said it continued its War Against Drug Abuse campaign through awareness programmes in schools, workplaces, religious centres and communities nationwide.

Babafemi noted that sensitisation exercises were held at Girls Secondary School, Abagana, Anambra State; Government Technical College, Obe, Enugu State; Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State; and the FCE Staff Demonstration School, Kabuga, Kano State, among other locations.

Commending the officers involved in the recent operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised the commands for combining enforcement activities with public enlightenment efforts.

Babafemi quoted Marwa as saying he “commended the officers and men of MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures,” noting that “their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitisation activities,” while charging them and other officers across the country to continue to raise the operational bar.”