ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mary Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The agency said Barek, a United Kingdom-based caregiver, was apprehended at the departure hall of Terminal 2 on Sunday, June 28, while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, explaining that officers uncovered the illicit consignment after carrying out a detailed search of the suspect’s luggage.
According to him, operatives recovered 31 large wraps of cocaine carefully packaged to resemble hands of plantain and concealed alongside other food items.
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.”
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In a separate operation, the anti-narcotics agency arrested a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, over an alleged attempt to export cocaine concealed inside cartons of Orijin Bitters destined for Kuala Lumpur.
Babafemi said Onyeka was arrested on June 29 in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State after investigators identified him as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking syndicate.
According to the agency, operatives had earlier intercepted 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.80 kilograms hidden inside the walls of nine cartons of the herbal alcoholic drink that formed part of a consolidated cargo shipment heading to Malaysia.
The NDLEA disclosed that investigations initially led to the arrest of four suspects in Lagos, including 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 drugs.
Babafemi added: “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.”
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The agency also recorded several other arrests across the country.
In Taraba State, operatives arrested Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, along Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area on July 4, recovering 43,980 capsules of Tramadol hidden inside specially modified fuel tanks of two vehicles.
In Kaduna State, NDLEA officers arrested Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, during a raid in Gwantu Local Government Area on July 2, where they allegedly recovered 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Similarly, in Ebonyi State, officers arrested Francis Ifara Eja, 65, with 231.7 kilograms of skunk at Ikwo on July 4.
In Plateau State, another suspect, Alhaji Babani, 75, was apprehended with 15 kilograms of skunk at Kurgwi in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area on July 3.
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The agency further disclosed that Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, were arrested 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 enforcement activities, the NDLEA said it continued implementing its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitisation programmes conducted in schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities across the country.
Babafemi said awareness campaigns were held at Girls Secondary School, Abagana, Anambra State; Government Technical College, Obe, Enugu State; Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State; and the Federal College of Education Staff Demonstration School, Kabuga, Kano State, among other locations.
Commending the officers involved in the various operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the commands for combining aggressive drug enforcement with sustained public enlightenment campaigns.
According to Babafemi, Marwa “commended the officers and men of MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures,” noting that their achievements in reducing drug supply were effectively balanced with WADA sensitisation activities.
He charged officers nationwide to sustain the momentum and continue raising the agency’s operational standards in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse.