The Roles of Illicit Drug Trafficking On the Re-Occurrence of Drug Abuse and Related Social Vices in Nigeria

Abstract

Illicit drug trafficking is a serious issue bedevilling peaceful living in a global sphere.   Nigeria is among the countries that have the highest number of drug traffickers globally and this is detrimental to the progress and development of our dear country's image. The reoccurrence of drug abuse and problems associated with it such as health and insecurity, crime, and deviance are closely connected with drug trafficking. The present study investigates the issues related to drug trafficking, the problems it causes to Nigerian society, the relationship between this menace and the prevalence of substance abuse, and the government control measures to curtail the menace. Qualitative technique is employed using secondary sources of data. Reputable journals, periodicals, textbooks, online sources newspapers and are used. The present study discovered that the agencies established to regulate, convert and curtail drug distribution, sales, abuse and trafficking as well as the county lawmakers (members of the National Assembly and Senate) are trying their best to control drug trafficking and abuse by enacting laws which establishing agencies to enforce the laws, the country's lawmakers are making efforts to review the existing drug laws to reduce the incidence of drug trafficking and abuse protect the lives and properties of the Nigerian citizenry. The study suggests that extra efforts be put in place on the parts of the established drug law enforcement agencies to enable them to effectively enforce the laws and the government should provide more funding more funding to the agencies especially those serving at the state and local level.