Despite the huge war the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has been waging against drug lords, there are indications that the more arrests they make, the more the cartel grows. The disclosure, last Monday, that the agency arrested no fewer than 48,157 persons for drug-related offences between 2021 and 2023, could best be described as alarming.

The Chairman of the NDLEA, its chairman, Brig.Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), who made the revelation in Abuja while receiving the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, who paid him a courtesy visit, said those arrested included 46 drug barons. He added that 8,350 of those nabbed had been successfully prosecuted and convicted. Marwa noted that 7,500 tonnes of illicit drugs were seized from the suspects, adding that 1,057 hectares of Indian hemp farms were destroyed in forests in different parts of the country.

Pundits who spoke on the startling revelation made by the NDLEA chair agreed that dismantling of drug cartels is a very difficult task all over the world but pointed out that the unwholesome practices of some unscrupulous members of the agency and other law enforcement bodies is a major reason Nigeria doesn’t seem to be winning the war against illicit drugs, which have destroyed the future of many of her youths.

Although Marwa had disclosed during his presentation at the third committee session of the 78^th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, U.S., that the agency was planning alternative development strategies that would take drug cartels out of business and protect the environment from the damaging effects of illicit drug cultivation and production, stakeholders also noted that lack of political will by the government to expose and prosecute the “main drug barons” in the country as one of the reasons drug cartels still thrive in Nigeria. An experienced security editor, Senator Iroegbu, specifically accused the Federal Government of lacking the will to go after some drug lords.

“The big question is who are these ‘untouchables’ or those we refer to in our clime as ‘big fishes’? That question is left for the NDLEA and the government to unravel. However, for the sake of diplomacy, I will use the analogy of the tree or the taproot to drive home my point.” Iroegbu said.

According to him, the challenge of the anti-drug war in Nigeria is indeed multifaceted, noting that the apparent growth of drug cartels despite the efforts of the NDLEA is a cause for concern. He added: “From my perspective, the root of this problem lies in the lack of political will to effectively tackle the kingpins behind these criminal enterprises.

“To illustrate this point, let’s consider the analogy of a tree with its taproot and visible roots. The taproot, often hidden deep beneath the surface, represents the key players or ‘untouchables’ in the drug trade – those who wield significant influence and operate with impunity.

“While the NDLEA may succeed in apprehending lower-level operatives, it is the taproot that sustains the cartel’s operations. “In essence, the current approach of targeting foot soldiers without addressing the main drug barons is akin to trimming branches and leaves while ignoring the root cause of the problem.

“Without disrupting the leadership and resources of these cartels, they can easily replenish their ranks from a pool of vulnerable recruits, perpetuating the cycle of drug trafficking and distribution.

“This situation mirrors the challenges faced in counter-terrorism and insurgency operations, where key sponsors remain untouched, enabling them to continue their nefarious activities.

“Therefore, for the anti-drug war to yield meaningful results, there must be a concerted effort to identify and apprehend the main drug barons, regardless of their status or influence.

“The government and law enforcement agencies must demonstrate unwavering resolve and adopt effective strategies to dismantle the drug cartels from the top down. Only then can we truly stem the tide of drug trafficking and safeguard our communities from the devastating effects of substance abuse.”

Commenting on the issue, Certified Protection Officer, Frank Oshanugor, said: “To me, the reason for the increase in the number of drug traffickers is largely hinged on four principal factors. It is a low risk venture with high yield once the trafficker succeeds.

“High level of unemployment in the country and ostentatious lifestyle of those in corridors of power pushes some jobless Nigerians to indulge in trafficking of drugs to create wealth.

“Another factor is the lapses and delay in our criminal justice administration. It takes a long time to prosecute suspects and inertia may set in at some point on the part of the prosecutors.

“Punishment on conviction does not seem to be serious enough to serve as a deterrent to future offenders. A harsher punishment should be introduced.”

Oshanugor noted that the NDLEA is waging a fantastic war from the Command Headquarters, but alleged that in the state and Airport commands, there is massive corruption.

“The high command should look into the corruption in the various commands. The corruption there is unprecedented. They have no fear as they do cash and carry business. I had an experience when one of my cousins was detained at MMIA Command Lagos. This is a fact that must be investigated.

“Secondly, the country is hard. The economy is very bad and people are more desperate these days and are ready to do anything because he that is down fear no fall. There is no job and people must survive; so the government should assist the security agencies by providing the enabling environment and creating jobs to discourage the youth from engaging in drug trafficking.

“If the NDLEA likes, let the officials arrest all the youth, they will still have a way of coming out and getting back to the crime. The major question is where are the drug traffickers that have been arrested? In which Correctional Centres are the suspects? We know that our Correctional Centres are over congested, but the NDLEA should punish some suspects to serve as deterrent to others and to discourage others. The high command should work on the massive corruption in the agency,” he added.

Security expert, Chukwukasi Oji, also alleged that there is massive corruption within the anti-drug agency in state commands. He, however, exonerated the NDLEA high command from illicit activities.

On his part, the National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, acknowledged that the current leadership of the NDLEA has waged a relentless, target-specific, goals-achieving and result-oriented war on trafficking of hard drugs and illicit substances. He added that a lot of Nigerians see Marwa’s leadership of the NDLEA as the best in terms of the holistic war on hard drugs.

“The NDLEA has practically made substantial arrests of notorious and very influential barons of the drug trade and the conviction rates have been so high so much so that NDLEA has received applause from the United Nations, the U.S., the United Kingdom, the European Union and African Union.

“NDLEA has become the clearest example of why appointments should be based on competencies and merit and it shows that when patriotic Nigerians are appointed into strategic offices, they will re-energise and reinvigorate the institution and bring about pragmatic results,” he said.

He argued that the seeming growth in the number of cartels is not a negative commentary on the phenomenal fight that NDLEA is now waging against drug barons but reinforces the ever-present reality that the work of combating trafficking of hard drugs is not a tea party but a very serious and complex task that requires methodology and adequate strategies.

Onwubiko said: “To think that because there is a growing number of drug cartel therefore the NDLEA is not doing enough is like saying that because death penalty is imposed for capital offences therefore capital offences should drastically be reduced because of the deterrence.

“That is not the case. So, the fact that NDLEA is doing so well to fight drug trafficking and yet more cartels are emerging is not something that should be seen from a negative perspective but as the manifestation of the fact that the work of fighting and combating the drug trade is becoming more and more sophisticated.

“In the U.S., drug offences are punished brutally but this hasn’t stopped more cartels from emerging. The U.S. is one of the places that most traffickers of hard drugs are looking at as the point of termination whereby those who get hooked on drugs pay so much for those hard drugs and so the U.S. is a leading market for drugs in the World,” he added.

The National Coordinator of NDLEA Celebrity Drug Free Club, Mr. Wilson Ighodalo, also gave several reasons drug trafficking cartels might continue to grow despite arrests. His words: “When the leaders of a drug cartel are arrested or eliminated, it can create a power vacuum within the organisation. This can lead to internal power struggles as different factions compete to fill the void, ultimately leading to the growth of new cartels or the expansion of existing ones.

“Drug trafficking is an incredibly lucrative business, generating billions of naira in profits each year. The high financial incentives attract new individuals and criminal organisations that are willing to take risks and capitalise on the demand for drugs. Even if some cartel members are arrested, others are likely to step in to fill the gap and continue the illegal operations.

“We all know Nigeria is a transit country; drug consumption is a global issue, and the demand for illicit drugs continues to be high in many regions. As long as there is a market for drugs, cartels will find ways to meet this demand, regardless of arrests and crackdown efforts. The profitability of the drug trade provides a strong motivation for cartels to continue operating.”

“Another major headache is corruption and complicity. Drug cartels often engage in bribery and corruption to protect their operations and maintain their networks. They may infiltrate law enforcement agencies, government institutions or secure alliances with influential individuals. This level of corruption can hinder effective law enforcement efforts, allowing cartels to continue thriving even in the face of arrests.

“Many drug cartels operate across international borders; as I said earlier, Nigeria is a well-known transit country for illicit drugs. This gives rise to cartels taking advantage of weak government control and porous borders.

“This makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to effectively collaborate and coordinate efforts to combat drug trafficking. As a result, arrests in one country may not have a significant impact on the overall operations of cartels that continue to operate in other regions.”

Ighodalo further explained that drug cartels are often flexible and adaptable criminal organisations, stressing that they can easily shift their operations, change trafficking routes and adapt to new methods and technologies.

“This makes them difficult to dismantle solely through arrests. Cartels have demonstrated their ability to adapt and survive in the face of law enforcement efforts, ensuring their growth and sustainability.

“Drug trafficking cartels can grow despite arrests due to factors such as leadership vacuums, financial incentives, global demand, corruption, transnational operations and their adaptability and resilience.

“Combating drug cartels requires comprehensive strategies that address both the supply and demand aspects of the drug trade, including focusing on dismantling the organisational structures, addressing corruption and implementing effective international law enforcement cooperation.” Responding to The Guardian’s enquiry on why drug cartel seems to be flourishing despite its efforts, the Director, Media and Advocacy at NDLEA,

Mr. Femi Babafemi, reiterated that the ultimate objective of the agency is to close the drug pipeline and put the cartels out of business.

He said the agency has been implementing the national action plan against illicit drug trafficking meticulously, adding that it is also ramping up efforts in the direction of treatment and rehabilitation of arrested drug users.

Babafemi stated: “That is the only way to stop trafficking. And in this regard, we have started getting substantial results. So far, we have arrested 48,157 including 46 drug barons and we are working to dismantle their networks with 8,350 drug offenders already successfully prosecuted and convicted, while over 7, 500 tons of assorted illicit drugs were seized within the same period. Our roadmap to this is the national action plan, which is the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) 2021-2025. It is a balanced mix of enforcement, advocacy, treatment and rehabilitation.

“Presently, we are on a massive advocacy campaign under our War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy initiative going round schools, markets, worship centres, workplaces, motor parks and communities, among others, all across the country. We focus on families, students, out of school kids, communities and the grassroots; and ensure that everyone understands that illicit drugs are dangerous. At the same time, we are also ramping up our efforts in the direction of treatment and rehabilitation with 29, 400 drug users already counselled and rehabilitated. This way, we will be shutting down drug demand. Where there is no demand, there will be no supply and trafficking in controlled substances will be curtailed.

“However, due to other factors outside our purview, the problem still subsists. Some of these include the fact that drug trafficking is a global network that cuts across international borders. If we are able to man our areas of responsibilities well, there is the tendency that these drugs will still trickle in from outside and that’s why there is also a global action against the menace across the world today. That’s why NDLEA is working in partnership with our counterparts in the U.S., UK, France, Germany, India, Ghana, Gambia, South Africa and others. There are also socio-economic issues at the basis of this problem and we are equally working with other stakeholders to address some of these issues especially at the state and local levels.

“There is also the family angle to the problem. Many homes have lost the essence of parenting and due to poor parenting; young people have developed bad habits including going into drug trafficking because they want to make quick money. That is why we are also targeting parents and families with our WADA advocacy campaigns and we believe overtime, parents will appreciate the core value of parenting.” (The Guardian)

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