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

Justice Friday Ogazi of the Federal High Court in Lagos has remanded a 70-year-old woman, Mrs Yetunde Barek, in the custody of the Ikoyi Correctional Facility over alleged unlawful exportation and transportation of 13 kilogrammes of cocaine.

Justice Ogazi ordered that the Septuagenarian be kept behind bars after she was arraigned before him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a two-count charge of drug trafficking.

The defendant, who pleaded not guilty to both counts, will remain in custody pending the hearing of her bail application on September 2, 2026.

Earlier, the NDLEA prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, had told the judge that the defendant committed the offences on June 28, 2026, at the Departure Hall of Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight from Lagos to the United Kingdom.

Ibrahim had also claimed that the defendant allegedly attempted to export 13kg of cocaine, described by the agency as a narcotic drug, without lawful authority.

He further alleged that the defendant had earlier transported the same quantity of cocaine from her residence on Alhaji Azeez Ajanaku Street, Okota, Lagos, to the airport for onward exportation.

The prosecutor maintained that the alleged offences contravene Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Following the defendant’s plea, Ibrahim urged the court to adjourn the matter for trial and order her remand in a correctional facility pending the commencement of proceedings.

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

Ndakara further submitted that the prosecution had filed a counter-affidavit opposing the bail application and that the defence had responded.

He consequently urged the court to hear the application.

However, Ibrahim told the court that the prosecution had filed its response to the bail application and was prepared to oppose it.

Justice Ogazi, who is sitting as the vacation judge, said the court could not hear the bail application immediately because of the number of pending matters before it.

Ndakara subsequently appealed to the court to allow the defendant to remain in NDLEA custody pending the hearing of her bail application, citing her alleged health challenges.

The prosecutor opposed the request, arguing that the NDLEA did not have adequate facilities to accommodate the defendant.

After listening to the lawyers, Justice Ogazi adjourned the bail application until September 2, 2026, and ordered that Yetunde be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ikoyi, pending the hearing and determination of the application.