NDLEA arrests 101-year-old woman for selling cannabis in Ogun (Photo)

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, for allegedly selling cannabis in Ilisan, Ogun State.

Ogunmabo, a great-grandmother, was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in small sachets for retail sale.

The agency disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, as part of an update on its recent operations across the country.

According to the NDLEA, Ogunmabo told operatives during questioning that she turned to the illicit drug trade after a fire destroyed her provisions shop.

She reportedly said one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplied her with cannabis every four days, after which she sold the substance in smaller quantities to customers in the community.

The disclosure also led to the arrest of the daughter who was allegedly involved in supplying the cannabis.

### NDLEA grants centenarian bail

Following the arrest, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and placed on counselling because of her advanced age.

The agency's decision means that despite the alleged offence, the 101-year-old will not remain in custody while the matter is handled.

The NDLEA said the action was taken in consideration of her age, while her alleged supplier-daughter remains subject to investigation.

The arrest has attracted significant attention because of Ogunmabo's age, making the case an unusual one in the agency's recent operations.

### NDLEA reports wider drug seizures

The arrest was announced alongside details of several other drug-related operations carried out by the agency in different parts of Nigeria.

In Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly transporting illicit drugs towards fishing settlements in Cameroon.

Three suspects were arrested during the operation, while the agency recovered more than 42 kilogrammes of illicit drugs, including skunk and cocaine.

One of the suspects, 27-year-old Kingsley Effiong John, was allegedly found with 20 grammes of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava flour popularly known as fufu, alongside 435 grammes of skunk.

In Kwara State, operatives patrolling the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway intercepted a Toyota Starlet without a registration number.

A search of the vehicle allegedly led to the recovery of 1.325 kilogrammes of methamphetamine and quantities of cannabis. A 22-year-old man, Muhammadu Usman, was arrested.

In Oyo State, a 65-year-old woman, Adebayo Kaosarat, was also arrested in the Akobo-Ojuirin area of Ibadan.

The NDLEA said she was found with a combination of illicit substances weighing 4.68 kilogrammes, including Scottish Loud, tramadol, codeine syrup, diazepam and flunitrazepam.

### Cannabis farms and major seizures

The agency also reported the destruction of a large cannabis farm in Ondo State.

According to the NDLEA, operatives raided a cannabis cultivation site at Ijare Forest in Ifedore Local Government Area, where about 10,000 kilogrammes of skunk cultivated across four hectares were destroyed.

The operation followed the arrest of three suspected cannabis cultivators at the same location.

In another operation in the state, 210 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered at Ita-Ogbolu in Akure North Local Government Area, alongside a Toyota Camry allegedly belonging to a suspect who is currently at large.

The NDLEA also reported the seizure of large consignments of Loud, a form of synthetic cannabis, at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.

The agency said the seized consignments were valued at more than ₦4.4 billion.

The latest operations form part of the NDLEA's ongoing nationwide efforts to disrupt the production, movement and distribution of illicit drugs.

While Ogunmabo's case has drawn particular attention because of her age, the agency's wider operation involved arrests and seizures across several states.

The NDLEA said its Chairman commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to maintain what he described as a balanced approach to drug-control efforts.

The agency has also continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities across the country.