Despite the huge war the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been waging against drug lords, there are indications that the more arrests they make, the more the cartel grows.• Recommend Stiffer Punishment For OffendersDespite the huge war the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been waging against drug lords, there are indications that the more arrests they make, the more the cartel grows.
“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. “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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
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.
“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. “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.
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 2021-2025.
Despite the huge war the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been waging against drug lords, there are indications that the more arrests they make, the more the cartel grows. The Independent National Electoral Commission , has disclosed that 19 political parties have notified the commission about the conduct of their primaries for the Ondo State governorship election. The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the state, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, stated this during a meeting with the representatives of political parties at the Commission's office…