Shock in Ogun: 101 Year Old Great Grandmother Arrested for Alleged Drug Dealing

By Chibuzo Obidike

At 101 years old, she is a great grandmother, but a shocking arrest in Ogun State has placed her at the centre of an unusual drug trafficking case.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, arrested Esther Ogunmabo in Ilisan, Ogun State, after she was allegedly found with retail sachets of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing about 90 grammes.

According to the NDLEA, the centenarian told operatives that she sold the substance to people in the community.

Her explanation reportedly revealed a difficult turn of events behind the alleged drug trade. She said she ventured into selling cannabis after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire.

She further told investigators that one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, allegedly arranged for the supply of the substance every four days, which she then sold in smaller quantities.

The case has now taken another dramatic turn.

Rather than keep the 101 year old in custody, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that she be granted bail and placed on counselling because of her advanced age.

Her daughter has, however, been arrested as investigations continue.

The incident has sparked questions about the circumstances that could lead a woman who has lived for more than a century into the illicit drug trade.

At 101, Esther’s story has become more than an unusual arrest. It is also a reminder of how poverty, loss of livelihood and family circumstances can sometimes intersect with criminal activities in unexpected ways.