- The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency documented over 621,035 cases in 2019;
- 83 per cent of documented drug cases were from north-central Nigeria;
- While the NDLEA reported a surge in cases for in 2019, it had less than 9500 suspects, as against the previous year;
- This apparent disparity raises questions as to the accuracy of the data as it is seems implausible for less than 9500 suspects to be responsible for over 621,035 cases;
- Nigeria has lost high revenue through illegal drug trade;
- Legalisation of drug consumption and trade could increase Nigeria’s revenue earnings while generating more employment.
Decline in Drug Suspects amid Surge in Drug Cases
While Nigeria recently documented a declining labour force despite its rising working age population, it also documented an increase in consumption of narcotic drugs. What’s more, we observed a stark disparity from 2018. In that year, reports documented 9,831 drug cases across geo-political zones. In contrast, 2019 featured a whopping 621,035 cases! These are some revelations in the recently published drug seizure and arrest statistics (2019) by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) using data from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to the report, most of the documented drug cases were in north central, Nigeria. The geo-political zone had over 83 per cent of the documented number of drug cases. This is followed by southwest (7.2 per cent), south-south (4.7 per cent), and southeast (2.1 per cent). Nigeria’s northeast and northwest had the lowest number of drug cases, with only 0.72 per cent and 1.9 per cent in each respective zone. However, each of the zones reported increments in the number of drug cases as against 2018.
Conversely, there was reportedly a decline in the number of suspected drug users in the country. Whereas there were 9,779 suspects in 2018, the figure became 9,479 in 2019. In fact, 2019 had a decrease in the number of prosecuted cases unlike 2018. While the authorities prosecuted all the suspected drug users in 2018, just 9,418 were prosecuted in 2019. This is a shortage of 61 suspects.
Appraising the statistics
The drug seizure and arrest statistics raise some questions in some of its dimensions. First of these is the extent of its accuracy. For instance, a comparison between the number of drug cases and the number of suspects shows a mismatch. With less than 9,500 suspects, 621,035 drug cases look somewhat impossible! Perhaps the question to ask the NDLEA and NBS is who perpetrated the drug cases? Recall that the same statistics revealed that 9,799 suspects were responsible for 9,831 drug cases in 2018.
Criminalization or legalisation?
Having over six hundred thousand drug cases in 2019 shows Nigeria has a “drug problem”, which could be direct consumption or trade. Still, despite the enormous size of this ‘venture’, drug possession and consumption remain illegal in the country. As a criminal offense, the high number of cases may further put pressure on Nigeria’s already pressured workforce of law enforcement officers. So, it wouldn’t be implausible for such a crime with an unending moral debate not to make the law enforcement list. They may have more important security and criminal issues to combat. Thus, providing a legal context to narcotics consumption and trade could reduce the burden of the police and the entire criminal justice system.
From an economic standpoint, legalisation would significantly reduce the illegal black market and criminal networks associated with drug trade in the country. The government could tax “illegal drugs” akin to gambling, alcohol, and tobacco trade. Nigeria can model its framework around the example presented by Canada – the first major economy to legalise drugs (cannabis) fully. Like Canada, we can develop legislation to legalise and regulate the industry. Thus, profits from drug consumption and trade can be accounted for in government’s revenue.
Also, legalisation could position the drug industry for direct contribution to the Gross Domestic Product and to employment. In Ondo state alone, experts estimate the value of the marijuana market to be $145 billion by 2025. Recall that the Ondo State governor has severally hinted on the plan to explore the legalisation of marijuana trade in the state. Similarly, a former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, declared his intention to export marijuana should he become the president. One reason he stated was the monetary addition to the economy.