Alleged 13kg Cocaine Trafficking: Court Grants 70-Year-Old Woman N150m Bail

Justice Friday Ogazi of the Federal High Court in Lagos has granted a 70-year-old woman, Barek Yetunde, who is facing trial for allegedly trafficking 13 kilogrammes of cocaine, bail in the sum of N150 million with two sureties in like sum.

Justice Ogazi also ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and own landed property valued at not less than N150 million, with proof of ownership to be provided to the court.
The court further directed that the sureties must submit evidence of their tax payments for the past three years.

As part of the bail conditions, the judge ordered Yetunde, who resides in the United Kingdom, to deposit her British international passport with the court.

Justice Ogazi further directed that she must not travel outside Nigeria during the trial without the court’s permission.

The court had remanded the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service following her arraignment by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on charges relating to the alleged exportation and transportation of 13 kilogrammes of cocaine.

At her arraignment, the prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, had alleged that the defendant committed the offences on 28 June 2026, at the Departure Hall of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Ibrahim had also claimed that the defendant allegedly attempted to export the 13 kilogrammes of cocaine while undergoing outward clearance for a Virgin Atlantic flight from Lagos to the United Kingdom.

The NDLEA prosecutor further accused the defendant of transporting the substance from her residence at 14, Alhaji Azeez Ajanaku Street, Okota, Lagos, to the airport for export.

The alleged offences were said to violate Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The defendant had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After her plea, Ibrahim asked the court to set a trial date and ordered the defendant remanded in custody pending trial.

The defence counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara, did not oppose the trial date but informed the court that the defendant had filed an application seeking bail, which had been served on the prosecution.

He said the prosecution had filed a counter-affidavit opposing the bail application, and the defence had responded accordingly.

Ndakara then sought permission to formally move the bail application, subject to the court’s convenience.

However, Ibrahim informed the court that the prosecution had already filed its response opposing the application.

Earlier, Ndakara had requested that the defendant remain in NDLEA custody due to her health condition.

The prosecution opposed this, arguing that the NDLEA lacked adequate facilities to properly manage her health needs.

Due to the disagreement over her detention location, Ndakara requested a short adjournment to enable the application to be formally argued.

Justice Ogazi then adjourned the case for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Yetunde be kept in the Nigerian Correctional Service custody pending the court’s decision.

After hearing the bail application, the court granted the defendant bail in the sum of N150 million, subject to strict conditions.