NDLEA Arrests 101-Year-Old Woman Over Alleged Cannabis Dealing in Ogun.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, over alleged involvement in the sale of cannabis in Ilisan, Ogun State.

The agency disclosed the arrest on Sunday as part of its latest nationwide operations against illicit drug trafficking and distribution.

According to the NDLEA, Ogunmabo was arrested on August 15, 2026, with 90 grammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis, packaged in small sachets. The agency said the woman admitted selling the substance in small quantities to people in the community.

During questioning, the centenarian reportedly told investigators that she turned to the illegal trade after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire.

She also reportedly disclosed that one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, supplied the cannabis to her periodically for onward sale.

Following the arrest, the 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 also said the woman’s daughter was subsequently arrested in connection with the alleged drug operation.

The development formed part of a wider series of operations conducted by NDLEA commands across several states and Nigeria’s maritime borders.

In Akwa Ibom State, operatives intercepted a wooden boat allegedly transporting illicit drugs towards fishing settlements in Cameroon and arrested three suspects. The operation resulted in the recovery of more than 42 kilogrammes of narcotics, according to the agency.

The agency also reported major seizures at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos, where two containers containing synthetic cannabis were intercepted. NDLEA said the combined seizure from the two containers was valued at more than N4.4 billion.

At the Apapa port, the agency said one container that had been declared to contain legitimate goods was found to contain more than one tonne of the illicit substance. Another seizure was made at the Lekki Deep Sea Port following monitoring by NDLEA’s Marine Special Operations Unit. 

Other operations reported by the agency included the interception of thousands of tramadol pills in Abuja, the destruction of cannabis cultivated on a farm in Ondo State, and arrests linked to illicit drug seizures in Kwara, Oyo, Kano, Lagos and Abia states. 

The NDLEA said its commands also continued public awareness activities under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, targeting schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities.

Marwa commended officers involved in the various operations and urged them to sustain intelligence-led efforts against drug trafficking while continuing prevention and public education initiatives.