'101-year-old great-grandmother' arrested for selling cannabis in Nigeria
A 101-year-old woman in Nigeria was arrested for allegedly selling cannabis, claiming she turned to the trade after her shop was destroyed by fire. Authorities have granted her bail and ordered counseling due to her advanced age.
Why it matters
The case highlights the intersection of poverty, illicit drug trade, and the challenges of law enforcement in addressing non-traditional offenders.
Image source, NDLEA Image caption, Esther Ogunmabo said she started selling illicit drugs after her shop was destroyed in a fire
An elderly woman, who the authorities say is 101, has been arrested in Nigeria for allegedly selling cannabis, in a case that has drawn widespread attention.
Esther Ogunmabo, described as a great-grandmother, was apprehended on Saturday in Ogun state, in the south-west of the country, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced.
Femi Babafemi, the agency's media director, said the centenarian was found with "retail sachets of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 90 grams, which she claims she sells to locals".
The NDLEA said the suspect told investigators that she turned to the illicit drug trade after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire. She has been released on bail.
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