Agency Also Arrests Malaysia-Based PhD Student, Others in Nationwide Anti-Drug Crackdown
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mrs. Mary Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
According to the NDLEA, the suspect, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, was arrested on June 28 at the departure hall of Terminal 2 while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
The agency said a thorough search of her luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine cleverly packaged to resemble plantain hands and hidden alongside other food items. During interrogation, Mrs. Barek reportedly admitted ownership of the seized narcotics.
In a related operation, NDLEA operatives arrested 45-year-old Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, over an alleged attempt to export cocaine concealed inside cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur.
Investigators said Onyeka was arrested in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State after being identified as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking syndicate. Earlier investigations had led to the interception of 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.8 kilograms hidden within the walls of nine cartons of the herbal drink.
The agency also arrested four other suspects linked to the shipment, including a cargo agent, a driver, a market trader and a supplier of the cartons allegedly used to conceal the illicit drugs.
The nationwide operations extended to several states. In Taraba State, operatives recovered 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden inside specially modified vehicle fuel tanks. In Kaduna, two suspects were arrested with 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
In Ebonyi State, a 65-year-old suspect was arrested with 231.7 kilograms of skunk, while another 75-year-old suspect was apprehended in Plateau State with 15 kilograms of the same substance.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Gombe State arrested two suspects with 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms during an operation in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.
Beyond enforcement, the NDLEA said it has continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitisation programmes in schools, workplaces, religious centres and communities across the country.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), commended officers involved in the successful operations and urged commands nationwide to sustain the fight against drug trafficking while strengthening public awareness campaigns.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and protecting Nigeria from the dangers posed by illicit narcotics.
