Full Breakdown
Nigerian-British Grandmother Nabbed with 13 kg Cocaine at Lagos Airport as NDLEA Unveils Nationwide Crackdown
7/6/2026, 1:20:54 AM
Lagos Airport Interception
On 28 June 2026 NDLEA operatives stopped 67-year-old Mary Yetunde Barek, a Nigerian-British caregiver, in Terminal 2 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport while boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight to London. A security search revealed 31 wraps of cocaine concealed in plantain peels, weighing a total of 13 kilograms. Barek’s interrogation record shows she admitted ownership of the drugs.
Timeline
The Lagos arrest led to a 29 June detention of 45-year-old PhD student Nwabueze Felix Onyeka in Ekwusigo, Anambra, linking him to 5.8 kg cocaine hidden in nine Orijin Bitters cartons bound for Kuala Lumpur. Four Lagos accomplices—cargo agent Alalade Taiwo Azeez, driver Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi, trader Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie, supplier Igwilo Chidi Henry—were also seized. Between 1 July and 4 July, raids recovered 43,980 tramadol capsules, 1.7 kg methamphetamine, 231.7 kg skunk, 15 kg skunk, and 556 kg cannabis, and detained ten more suspects.
Key Figures
Mary Yetunde Barek – primary suspect.
Nwabueze Felix Onyeka – alleged syndicate leader.
Femi Babafemi – NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.) – NDLEA Chairman.
Official Statements
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said the arrests “balance drug-supply reduction with War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities” being carried out in schools, workplaces and places of worship. Chairman Marwa praised the commands involved and urged officers “to continue raising the operational bar” while maintaining public-education campaigns.
Quotes
- “In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits.” — Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson
- “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.” — NDLEA statement
- “I commend the officers and men of MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures. I also note your drug-supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitisation activities, and I charge you and your compatriots across the country to continue to raise the operational bar.” — Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.)
- “A thorough search of her luggage led to the discovery of 31 large wraps of cocaine, carefully packaged to resemble bunches of plantain and hidden among other food items.” — NDLEA press release
Conflicts
The date of the NDLEA press release varies across sources—some cite 28 June, others 5 July 2026. Independent verification of Barek’s admission and Onyeka’s alleged leadership is absent, and no external commentary from civil-society or legal observers is provided.
Implications
The operations underscore Nigeria’s role as a transit hub for West-African narcotics and demonstrate NDLEA’s capacity for intelligence-driven interdiction. By pairing large-scale seizures with the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) outreach programme, the agency aims to curb supply and demand. Officials said the agency will maintain intelligence-driven operations and continue WADA sensitisation, indicating sustained pressure on traffickers.