By Seyi Odewale
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that moves are underway to amend Nigeria’s anti-drug laws to abolish the option of fines for convicted drug traffickers, insisting that offenders should face mandatory prison terms instead of paying their way out of jail.
The agency described the current provision allowing courts to impose fines in some drug trafficking cases as a major legal loophole that weakens the country’s fight against illicit drug trafficking and enables convicted offenders to return to the criminal trade.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the proposed amendment is being championed through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
According to him, an Executive Bill will soon be transmitted to the National Assembly to amend the NDLEA Act and eliminate the fine option.
“There is a small snag, and that is the issue of the option of a fine. We are grateful that the Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, is addressing that,” Babafemi said.
He explained that the proposed legislation would close what traffickers have exploited as an escape route from lengthy prison sentences.
“I think there is an Executive Bill which will soon get to the National Assembly to amend the law so that there will be no option of a fine,” he added.
Babafemi argued that under the existing law, some convicted traffickers simply pay fines imposed by the courts and quickly return to the illegal drug business.
“Because they know there is an option of a fine, the judge gives them that option, and you find them paying ₦5 million, ₦10 million or even ₦20 million,” he said.
He disclosed that the proposed amendment would prescribe mandatory prison terms ranging from 15 to 25 years for convicted traffickers, making imprisonment inevitable upon conviction.
“When that law is passed, there will be nothing like the option of a fine. You will probably have a minimum of 15 years and up to 25 years in prison, so that once you are arrested and convicted, you know you are going to jail and you lose everything,” Babafemi stated.
The NDLEA spokesman said the agency continues to enjoy strong support from the judiciary, revealing that it records a conviction rate of nearly 90 per cent in drug-related cases.
He described the global illicit drug trade as a “hydra-headed monster” but maintained that the agency’s sustained enforcement operations have continued to disrupt trafficking networks across the country.
According to him, the intensified crackdown has significantly reduced the availability of illicit drugs, leading to scarcity and a sharp increase in street prices.
“If you follow some of the conversations online, you will hear young people saying, ‘Why are you people always seizing these things? Because of what you are doing, a gram of cannabis has moved from ₦5,000 to ₦35,000,” Babafemi said.
He described the rising street prices as evidence that the agency’s operations are making it increasingly difficult for traffickers to move and distribute illicit substances.
Babafemi also revealed that the NDLEA has uncovered billions of naira in bank accounts linked to suspected drug traffickers during recent investigations.
He said the accounts have been frozen while the agency pursues legal processes to secure their final forfeiture to the Federal Government.
“We have discovered billions of naira in the accounts of suspected drug traffickers. Those funds have been frozen, and we are taking steps to ensure they are permanently forfeited,” he said.
The agency further disclosed that its sustained offensive has made Nigeria an increasingly hostile environment for drug trafficking syndicates, forcing several traffickers to relocate their operations outside the country.
Babafemi, however, said fleeing Nigeria would not shield suspects from justice, noting that the agency has strengthened intelligence sharing and operational collaboration with foreign anti-narcotics agencies.
“Some of them have relocated to other countries, but we are working with our counterparts there. Wherever they go, we will continue to track them and ensure they face justice,” he said.
The proposed amendment comes amid growing concern over the increasing prevalence of drug trafficking and substance abuse, particularly among young Nigerians.
If passed by the National Assembly, the legislation would represent one of the most significant reforms of Nigeria’s anti-drug laws in recent years, replacing discretionary fines with mandatory custodial sentences and further strengthening the country’s legal framework against organised drug trafficking.
