Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother for attempting to traffic 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in plantain peels at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The suspect, Mrs. Mary Yetunde Barek, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, was arrested on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the departure hall of Terminal 2 while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.
According to a statement on Sunday, July 5, 2026, by the Director of Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, a thorough search of the suspect’s luggage led to the discovery of 31 large wraps of cocaine cleverly packaged to resemble bunches of plantain.
The wraps were hidden inside plantain peels and packed among other food items in her bags. The total weight of the drug was 13 kilograms.
In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits.
Commending the officers involved in the operation, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, lauded their efforts and charged them to continue raising the operational bar.
The arrest is the latest in the agency’s sustained clampdown on drug trafficking at Nigeria’s international airports.