NDLEA Arrests British-Nigerian Grandmother in Nationwide Drug Raids

A 67-year-old British-Nigerian grandmother who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom (UK) is among a string of drug suspects arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a fresh wave of operations across the country.

Mary Barek was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Sunday, 28 June, as she attempted to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.

A search of her luggage uncovered 31 large wraps of cocaine disguised as hands of plantain and packed alongside other food items, weighing a total of 13 kilograms.

"In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits," NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi said.

In a separate case, a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra in Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, was arrested in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on 29 June after being traced as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking syndicate.

The agency revealed it had earlier intercepted 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.80 kilograms hidden within the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters, part of a consolidated cargo bound for Kuala Lumpur.

Four suspects who allegedly supplied the cartons used to conceal the drugs were initially arrested in Lagos during the investigation.

The suspects include cargo agent Alalade Taiwo Azeez, driver Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi, trader Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie, and Igwilo Chidi Henry.

"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," Babafemi said.

In Taraba State, operatives arrested Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Are on 4 July.

A search of the vehicle Ugwuoke was travelling in led to the recovery of 43,980 capsules of Tramadol concealed inside two fuel tanks that had been specially modified to hide drugs.

In Kaduna State, Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were arrested during a raid in Gwantu Local Government Area on 2 July, where 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine was recovered.

In Ebonyi State, Francis Ifara Eja, 65, was arrested with 231.7 kilograms of skunk at Ikwo on 4 July.

In Plateau State, a 75-year-old suspect, Alhaji Babani, was apprehended with 15 kilograms of skunk at Kurgwi in Qua'anpan Local Government Area on 3 July.

In Gombe State, two suspects, including Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36 were arrested on 1 July with 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms at Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.

Beyond enforcement, the agency said its commands across the country maintained the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitisation programmes.

These programmes, NDLEA disclosed, are conducted in schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities, including visits to Girls Secondary School in Abagana, Anambra State; Government Technical College in Obe, Enugu State; Adeola Odutola College in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State; and FCE Staff Demonstration School in Kabuga, Kano State.

NDLEA Chairman Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the officers involved, praising the balance between enforcement and public enlightenment and urging commands across the country to continue raising their operational standards.