Author(s): Rawlings Akonbede UDAMA
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was established in 1989 with the statutory responsibility to control and manage the growing menace of illicit drug activities. However, after over two decades, the incidents of illicit drug production, distribution are on the increase, their consumption is frequent, common, and wide. This paper examines NDLEA’s institutional capacity to fight against illicit drug activities and the social context of its operation. The study is guided by Public choice theory with emphasis on the principle of economics to explain political behaviour in decision making. Major findings revealed that low law observation by the state, abuse of discretionary powers of the judges, and inadequacy and institutional weakness of the agency are the challenges hampering its effective operations. The paper recommended among others that NDLEA should be restructured and strengthened to have a new impetus to perform effectively; and the government should enforce the rule of law in a manner that its citizens will conduct themselves within the ambit of formal rules and social norms.
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