The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mary Barek, for allegedly attempting to traffic 13 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
According to the agency, Barek, a caregiver based in the United Kingdom, was apprehended on Sunday, June 28, at the departure section of Terminal 2 while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said officers uncovered 31 large parcels of cocaine carefully packaged to resemble bunches of plantain during a thorough search of the suspect’s luggage. The drugs, which weighed a combined 13 kilograms, were concealed alongside other food items.
Babafemi disclosed that the suspect admitted ownership of the illicit consignment during interrogation.
In a separate operation, the anti-narcotics agency arrested 45-year-old Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a doctoral student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, over his alleged involvement in an attempt to smuggle cocaine concealed inside cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur.
The suspect was arrested on June 29 in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State after investigations identified him as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking network.
The NDLEA said its operatives had earlier intercepted a shipment containing 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.8 kilograms concealed within the walls of nine cartons of the herbal alcoholic beverage intended for export to Malaysia.
The investigation initially led to the arrest of four suspects in Lagos, including cargo agent Alalade Taiwo Azeez, driver Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi, trader Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie of ASPANDA Market, Trade Fair Complex, and Igwilo Chidi Henry, who allegedly supplied the specially prepared cartons used to conceal the drugs.
Babafemi said further investigations eventually traced Onyeka to his hometown of Aziora in Ozubulu, Anambra State, where he was arrested.
The agency also recorded several major drug seizures across different states.
In Taraba State, operatives arrested 30-year-old Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area on July 4. A total of 43,980 capsules of Tramadol were recovered from two vehicle fuel tanks that had been specially modified to conceal the drugs.
In Kaduna State, two suspects, Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were arrested during a raid in Gwantu Local Government Area on July 2, where officers recovered 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 in Ikwo on July 4, while in Plateau State, 75-year-old Alhaji Babani was arrested with 15 kilograms of the same substance in Kurgwi, Qua’an Pan Local Government Area, on July 3.
The NDLEA further disclosed that two suspects, Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, were arrested in Gombe State on July 1 after operatives recovered 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms at Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.
Beyond its enforcement activities, the agency said it continued to expand its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through awareness programmes conducted in schools, workplaces, religious centres and communities nationwide.
Babafemi said sensitisation exercises were recently held at Girls Secondary School in Abagana, Anambra State; Government Technical College in Obe, Enugu State; Adeola Odutola College in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State; and the Federal College of Education Staff Demonstration School in Kabuga, Kano State, among other locations.
Commending officers involved in the recent operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the various state commands for sustaining aggressive drug enforcement while also promoting public awareness through anti-drug education campaigns.
He encouraged personnel across the country to maintain the momentum in combating drug trafficking and intensify efforts aimed at reducing substance abuse through continuous public enlightenment.