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Nigeria Drug Enforcement: 101-Year-Old Woman Arrested Over Cannabis Distribution

NDLEA operatives in Ogun State have arrested 101-year-old Esther Ogunmabo for allegedly retailing cannabis following a business loss. Read full details.

NDLEA operatives in Ogun State arrested 101-year-old Esther Ogunmabo. She is accused of selling cannabis to residents. The case has drawn wide public attention.

Operatives arrested Ogunmabo on August 15 in Ilisan, Ogun State. He had 90 grams of “skunk,” a strong cannabis strain. It was packaged in retail sachets.

Fire Loss Led to Illicit Trade

According to NDLEA investigators, Ogunmabo admitted to entering the drug trade after a fire destroyed her local provisions shop.

Authorities allege that her daughter, residing in Lagos, supplied her with bulk cannabis every four days. Ogunmabo then divided the shipment into smaller quantities for retail distribution within her neighborhood.

Given her advanced age, NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) directed that Ogunmabo be released on bail and provided with counseling. Her daughter has also been taken into custody.

Maritime Interceptions and Historic Foreign Seizures

The arrest was part of a larger set of coordinated drug enforcement operations.
These operations took place across Nigeria’s land and sea borders.

Akwa Ibom High Seas Interception: On August 21, operatives stopped a wooden boat carrying 42.6 kg of narcotics. The drugs included skunk and cocaine. The boat was headed to fishing settlements in Cameroon. Three suspects were arrested, including one who had concealed cocaine inside a wrap of cassava fufu.
Record Thailand-to-Nigeria Seizure: The NDLEA made its first direct maritime interception of "Thai Loud" cannabis. It came from Thailand’s Laem Chabang Port.

Port Location	Intercepted Quantity	Declared Cargo Manifest
Apapa Port (Lagos)	1,090.5 kg	Dry fish, rice, auto spare parts, soap, batteries
Lekki Deep Sea Port	400.0 kg	Commercial freight consignment

The combined 1.49-ton shipment of Thai Loud is worth over ₦4.4 billion. Authorities say this points to a new trafficking route targeting West African ports.

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