A 101-year-old great-grandmother has landed in trouble after she was allegedly caught selling illicit drugs in small sachets to residents of Ilisan, Ogun State.
The woman, identified as Esther Ogunmabo, was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 90 grammes of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis.
According to the agency, Ogunmabo told investigators that she sold the cannabis in retail quantities to people in the community.
The centenarian reportedly revealed that she turned to the illegal trade after fire destroyed her provisions shop, leaving her without her previous source of livelihood.
She allegedly told NDLEA operatives that one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplies her with the substance every four days, after which she sells it in small portions to customers.
The shocking arrest was disclosed on Sunday by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who said the agency had recorded several breakthroughs in its operations across the country.
However, the 101-year-old will not be facing the full force of prosecution for now.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that Ogunmabo be granted bail and subjected to counselling because of her advanced age.
Her daughter, who was allegedly involved in arranging the supply of the cannabis, has also been arrested by the agency.
The unusual case has drawn attention to the desperation that can sometimes push elderly people into criminal activities, as the NDLEA continues its crackdown on illicit drug trafficking across the country.
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