Nigerian‑British grandmother arrested with 13 kg cocaine at Lagos airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) detained 67‑year‑old Nigerian‑British caregiver Mary Barek at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after officers uncovered 13 kg of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels. NDLEA spokesperson Femi 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.”

A related operation led to the arrest of 45‑year‑old PhD student Nwabueze Felix Onyeka in Anambra State for attempting to export 5.8 kg of cocaine hidden inside cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur. The agency also reported numerous seizures across several states, including 43,980 tramadol capsules hidden in modified fuel tanks in Taraba, 1.7 kg of methamphetamine in Kaduna, large quantities of skunk in Ebonyi and Plateau, and 556 kg of cannabis in Gombe.

The NDLEA highlighted its ongoing “War Against Drug Abuse” (WADA) campaign, noting public‑awareness programmes in schools, workplaces and communities nationwide.