Court Remands 70-Year-Old Woman Over Alleged Export of 13kg Cocaine

Wale Igbintade

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of a 70-year-old woman, Barek Mary Yetunde, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ikoyi, pending the hearing of her bail application on September 2, 2026.

Justice Friday Ogazi made the order after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arraigned Yetunde on a two-count charge bordering on the alleged possession, transportation and exportation of 13 kilogrammes of cocaine.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

When the matter came up before Justice Ogazi, the prosecutor, Mr Abu Ibrahim, announced his appearance for the prosecution, while Chief Benson Ndakara, leading Chief Dennis Warri, appeared for the defendant.

Ibrahim first sought the leave of the court to arraign the defendant during the court’s vacation. The judge granted the application.
The prosecutor subsequently urged the court to order the reading of the two-count charge dated August 8, 2026, to enable the defendant to take her plea.

The charges were read to Yetunde, who pleaded not guilty.

According to the prosecution, Yetunde, a Nigerian residing at No. 14, Alhaji Azeez Ajanaku Street, Okota, Lagos State, allegedly committed the offences on June 28, 2026, at the Departure Hall of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

She was alleged to have, during the outward clearance of passengers on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Lagos to the United Kingdom, unlawfully exported 13 kilogrammes of cocaine, described in the charge as a narcotic drug.

The prosecution further alleged that Yetunde unlawfully transported the same quantity of cocaine from her residence in Okota to the Departure Hall of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Following her plea, Ibrahim asked the court for a trial date and an order remanding the defendant in custody pending the commencement of trial.

Defence counsel, Chief Ndakara, did not object to a trial date but informed the court that the defendant had filed a bail application, which had been served on the prosecution.

He added that the prosecution had filed a counter-affidavit opposing the application and that the defence had also filed a response.
Ndakara urged the court to hear the bail application.

Ibrahim, however, said the prosecution had filed a response opposing the application.

Justice Ogazi subsequently held that the court could not hear the bail application immediately because of the number of pending cases before it.

Following the adjournment, Ndakara pleaded with the court to remand the defendant in NDLEA custody, citing her health challenges.
Ibrahim opposed the request, arguing that the NDLEA did not have adequate facilities to accommodate the defendant.

Ndakara then made a passionate appeal for an early hearing of the bail application.

After listening to both parties, Justice Ogazi adjourned the matter until September 2, 2026, for hearing of the bail application.

The judge thereafter ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ikoyi, pending the hearing of her bail application.

The charge against the defendant read: “That you, Barek Mary Yetunde, female, adult, Nigerian, of No. 14, Alhaji Azeez Ajanaku Street, Okota, Lagos State, on or about June 28, 2026, at the Departure Hall of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Lagos to the United Kingdom, without lawful authority, exported 13 kilogrammes of cocaine, a narcotic drug, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“That you, Barek Mary Yetunde, female, adult, Nigerian, of No. 14, Alhaji Azeez Ajanaku Street, Okota, Lagos State, on or about June 28, 2026, without lawful authority, transported 13 kilogrammes of cocaine, a narcotic drug, from your residence at No. 14, Alhaji Azeez Ajanaku Street, Okota, Lagos State, to the Departure Hall of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”