With Cannabis, Cocaine Worth $4bn Seized in 10 Years, Nigeria’s Drug Trafficking, Consumption Hits New High

*94,261 traffickers arrested .Experts attribute spike to quest for illicit wealth
Chinedu Eze

Nigeria’s drug trafficking and consumption is spiraling out of control, as it has emerged that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seized cannabis and cocaine with a street value of $3.8 billion and $68.17 million respectively in the last 10 years.
The price of cocaine varies depending on numerous factors. The most important factors are location and purity.

Cocaine comes from coca leaves. The Coca plant grows in South America, primarily Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru.
Due to shipping costs, the farther a buyer is from South America, the more drug traffickers will charge for cocaine. For example, one kilogram of cocaine costs about $1800 in Colombia, up to $34,500 in New York City as much as $45,000 in Anchorage, Alaska.
Conversely, cannabis has a street value of $68.4 per gram in Japan for example, $110.0 per gram in the United Arab Emirates and as much as $22.1 per gram in Singapore. 1000 grams = 1 kilo.
Analysis of NDLEA numbers obtained by THISDAY showed that in the last 10 years, drug trafficking has assumed a new high with more people engaged in the illicit trade.

Documents made available to THISDAY by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency revealed that every year, more drugs are trafficked and more persons got involved in the illegal business.
NDLEA officials who spoke to THISDAY on the condition of anonymity said the desire to get rich quick and moral decadence occasioned by social media and the Internet has made young boys and girls to use drugs to escape from the drudgeries of the day and then became addicted.

A breakdown of the NDLEA numbers showed that in 2012 the agency seized cannabis worth 228, 794.13 kg, Cocaine, 131.89, Heroin, 211.03, others, 3, 905.45 bringing to a total of 233, 699.6. Those arrested in that year were 7, 510 males and 542 females, making a total of 8052.
In 2013, the agency seized cannabis worth, 205, 373, cocaine, 290.20, heroin, 24.53, others 134, 280.38 and total was 339, 968.11. Those arrested were 8, 324 males and 519 females, making a total of 8,843.

In 2014 NDLEA seized 53,878, 194.63 of cannabis, cocaine, 226.04, heroine, 7, 562.49, totaling 53, 886, 039.5.
In 2015, NDLEA seized 871,490.32 of cannabis, 260.46 of cocaine, 30.9 of heroin and others, 31, 442. 86, total, 903, 624.56 and persons arrested during the period include 8143 males and 635 females totaling 8, 778.
In 2016, NDLEA seized cannabis worth 187, 394, Cocaine, 305.17, heroine, 66. 29; others, 79, 827.04 with total of 267, 592.49. Suspects arrested 7, 720 males and 538 with total, 8, 257.

In 2017, 191, 084. 19, cocaine, 92. 26, Heroine, 86.36, others , 117, 143. 20, total, 309, 357. 31; male: 9,387; 622, totaling, 10, O09.
In 2018 also NDLEA 273, 249.08, Cocaine, 124. 86, Heroine, 59.62, others, 44, 331.29, total, 317, 764.85. Persons arrested, 9, 129 males and 702, totaling, 9, 831. In 2019, the agency seized 608, 654.49 cannabis, 113.00, heroine, 23.89, others 10, 112.10; total, 612,903.48. Males,!8535, females, 909, total, 9, 444.

In 2020, NDLEA seized 124,473.3 cannabis, 105, 65 cocaine, heroine, 7.55 and others, 20209. 27, total, 144, 795.67; 9181 males and 734 females, total, 9915.
In 2021, the agency also seized 469, 246.4 cannabis, 325.05 cocaine, 122.55 Heroine; others, 110435.5, total: 580, 130.5. It arrested, 11314 males and 992 females.

So during the period, the agency seized a total of 57, 031, 943 cannabis, 1, 975.59 cocaine, 687. 35 heroine, others, 559, 248.6, totaling, 57, 595, 874. The number of arrests include 87, 575 males and 6, 686 females, amounting to 95, 261 in all.
During the period, NDLEA had 1720 convictions in 2012, 1865 in 2013, 2054 in 2014, 1670 in 2015, 2256 in 2016, 1621 in 2017 and 1220 in 2018. Others were 1120 in 2019, 887 in 2020 and 1367 in 2021, totaling 15, 800.

An NDLEA official who spoke to THISDAY said that although the agency is doing a lot to curb drug trafficking, the progressive increase in the volume of drugs and the number of persons arrested seem as if the agency is not doing enough.
“These figures are supposed to be decreasing but indications show that more people get involved in the illegal business. It is a reflection of moral decay in our society. These figures are supposed to be going down but those involved in the illegal business keep on increasing, which means that the drug market is expanding, ”the official volunteered.

He attributed the high figures of drug trafficking and illicit drugs to internal decay in NDLEA and said that there is low capacity in terms of personnel adding, “so few people are doing the work more people ought to do.”
The official also said that there is discrimination in the arrest of suspects of drug traffickers because the children of highly placed individuals are let off the hook when they are arrested by the agency.

“Truth is that we are weak. The government is weak. They are not funding the agency well and this is tempting because every day the NDLEA officials come across the drug traffickers. It is usually highly tempting when you are offered something because the whole thing is a matter of survival. So the leadership of the agency should find a way to give incentives to the personnel of the agency,” he said.

The official also spoke about interference and said that often some drug trafficking suspects are arrested but, “a power from above would order them to the released.”
However, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Buba Marwa said recently that the problem of drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria would soon be under control.

“We plan to go to local governments for sensitisation; we are constrained at this moment with the size of our workforce but with the approval of the President, we have recruited more personnel,” he said.

He also stated, “We have recruited more personnel to increase our size to enable us go into the local governments so that each local government will eventually have its own special command. We also have special command at the sea ports, international airports and we are in the process of setting up engagement in the railway stations,” he added.

SUMMARY OF DRUG SEIZURES AND ARRESTS