NDLEA HISTORY AND ACTS ( FOR NDLEA RECRUITMENT 2010)

PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHMENT The establishment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by the promulgation of Decree Number 48 of 1989, now Act of Parliament, was aimed at exterminating illicit drug trafficking and consumption in the Nigerian society. NATURE OF THE ACT.Though the Act does not endorse Capital Punishment, as did Decree No 20 of 1984, it however, aims at rendering offenders financially incapacitated apart from the long period of incarceration ranging from 15 to 25 years and sometimes, life imprisonment for producers and traffickers. Additionally, any organisation that colludes with offenders to perpetrate a drug offence or to conceal proceeds from the illicit drug trade is also liable on conviction to a term of 25 years imprisonment or two million Naira fine.

Other measures adopted in dealing with the drug scourge are contained in National Drug Law Enforcement (Amendment) Decree No 33 of 1990 which prescribes a jail term of five years for persons caught abroad for trafficking in drugs through Nigeria and by so doing bring the name of our great nation into disrepute.

NDLEA apart from enforcing the responsibility of the provision of Decree 48 of 1989 is also responsible for coordinating all drug laws and policies previously conferred on any statutory body in the country including campaign to check the abuse of narcotics and psychotropic substances. Some of these are:

i) The coordination of all drug law and enforcement functions conferred on any person or authority; including Ministers in the Government of the Federation by any such laws;
ii) Adoption of measures to identify, trace, freeze, confiscate or seize proceeds derived from drug related offences or property whose value correspond to such proceeds.
iii) Adoption of measures to eradicate illicit cultivation of narcotic plants and to eliminate illicit demand for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances with a view of reducing human suffering and eliminating financial incentives for illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
iv) Taking such measures, which might require the taking of reasonable precautions to prevent the use of ordinary means of transport for illicit traffic in narcotic drugs including making special arrangement with transport owners and operators.
v) Strengthening and enhancing effective legal means of international cooperation in criminal matters for suppressing international activities of illicit traffic in
vi) Collaborating with governmental and non-governmental bodies, both within and outside Nigeria in carrying out functions wholly or in part analogous to those of the Agency, etc
vii) Taking charge, supervising, controlling, and coordinating all the responsibilities, functions and activities relating to arrest, investigation and prosecution of all offences connected with or relating to illicit traffic in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances notwithstanding any law to the contrary. All drug units under existing institutions dealing with offenders or offences connected or relating to illicit traffic in narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances shall relate and be responsible to the Agency in performance of their duties.

SPECIAL POWERS OF THE AGENCYThe Agency has powers:a. To cause investigation to be conducted as to whether any person has committed an offence under this Decree and
b. With a view of ascertaining whether any person has been involved in offences under this Decree or in the process of such offences to cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the Agency that the person’s life-style and properties worth do not match his ostentatious living.
c. For the purpose of inquiring into and ascertaining whether an ;offence under paragraph (h) of sub-section (i) of this section has been committed, the Agency may by notice in writing call upon any one to furnish it within a time specified in the notice, with information, returns, accounts, books or other documents in custody of such persons as the Agency may consider fit and proper in the circumstances.
d. The Agency shall not exercise the power conferred upon it by paragraph (b) of sub-section (i) of this section without first obtaining the approval of the Attorney General of the Federation.

These responsibilities appear vast but it is remarkable that the Agency has within thirteen years of operation, after slight hitches, articulated all these and has been able to put in place necessary and well-grounded strategies to take care of the challenges posed by the assignment. It has also been able within this period to formulate concrete measures aimed at ridding Nigeria of the drug scourge with a view to improving the battered image of the country.

NDLEA STRATEGIESIn pursuance of the objectives as contained in the statute establishing the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Agency’s activities are anchored on six functional divisions, namely;
i. Investigation
ii. Prosecution
iii. Drug Demand Reduction
iv. Training, Research and Development
v. Assets Laundering and
vi. Intelligence The giant strides of the Agency in executing its drug supply and demand reduction activities are well acknowledged all over the world, especially by other African countries. This is informed by the fact that Nigeria is party to all the UN International drug conventions and has also entered into bilateral agreements on Mutual Legal Assistance with a number of Drug Consuming and Production countries.

For instance, Nigeria has made progress and achieved some commendable successes in the area of drug control delivery system. The NDLEA has achieved these successes in collaboration and cooperation with some friendly countries. Such countries include USA, Great Britain, South Africa and Thailand. On the international scene, the untiring efforts and unprecedented enthusiasm exhibited by the leadership of Alhaji (Dr.) Bello Lafiaji in fighting the drug problem, has given assent to various United Nations Conventions, which set out to fight drug abuse and trafficking. Not only this, determined to redeem the image of Nigeria abroad, a lot of agreement were entered into, to formalise cooperation, information dissemination and exchange of technical assistance where necessary.

Realising that the drug problem is more prevalent amongst the youth, the Agency has taken a bold step by carrying the drug war to the doorsteps of this group which the society looks up to as the future leaders of this country, by strengthening the activities of the life clubs formed in all the secondary schools in the country to put in check the cancerous tendencies of the youth. Furthermore, the Agency was able to get the Federal Government through the National Education Research and Development Council to approve the inculcation of Drug Abuse Education into the Nigerian School Curricula. Apart from getting all the States of the Federation involved in the drug crusade, all arms of government and relevant Ministries and Parastatals, like Information, Foreign Affairs, Justice as well as Customs and Immigration Services and the Presidency are now very active and prepared to always support and complement the efforts of the Agency.

DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION ACTIVITIES
In 1989, the Federal Military Government enacted Decree 48 now Cap N30 Law of the federation establishing the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The Agency is charged with the dual responsibility of reducing the supply and demand for drugs.
The Federal Government of Nigeria appreciates the fact that supply reduction efforts alone cannot solve the drug problem, hence the emphasis on Demand Reduction. The Drug Reduction Directorate is charge with the responsibility of reducing the demand for illicit drugs.

At the inception of the Agency, the Drug Demand Reduction Directorate was known and referred to as the Counseling Unit. This former name was considered inappropriate as it referred to just an aspect of the functions and statutory responsibility of the Directorate. Consequent upon this, the Units’ name was changed to Drug Demand Reduction Directorate encompassing all the activities of the Directorate. The Drug Demand Reduction Directorate is charged with the responsibility of reducing the demand for illicit drugs.
To achieve the lofty objectives, the Drug Demand Reduction Directorate is divided into three (3) units namely:
1. Drug Abuse Preventive Education
2. Treatment and Rehabilitation
3. Research and NGO Liaison

It is important to note that no single method is perfect in handling a drug dependent person, hence, the adoption of electic approach/method.

The Agency’s Treatment/Rehabilitation services are available in the 36 State Commands including FCT, Abuja.
C. RESEARCH AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISA TIQN LIAISON
Researches are carried out on the trends, patterns and prevalence of drug abuse problems among different target groups. These researches include school survey, hospital survey, trafficking survey and others. Data is collected from suspected traffickers in NDLEA pre-trial cells and drug abusers on admission in treatment centres across the country. The data collated is analyzed and produced as annual research report on drug abuse and trafficking. These reports are distributed to relevant Governmental, Non-Governmental, International Organizations, Corporate bodies and Individuals involved in drug abuse and trafficking prevention in Nigeria. The reports from the studies serve as base line data in designing appropriate intervention measures for Nigeria. This Unit equally liaises with Non-Governmental Organisations by supervising and monitoring their drug abuse activities and programmes within the country.
A.DRUG ABUSE PREVENTIVE EDUCATION unit the following intervention 1. Drug Abuse Education: This is geared towards providing factual information and learning experiences on drug problems. To this end, NDLEA in conjunction with NERDC has concluded the development of preventive drug education curriculum and infused its content into relevant school subjects at various levels of learning (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary) while the implementation is in progress. The essence of preventive education in schools is to encourage children to recognize the benefits of adopting drug free and healthy life style and to provide them with necessary skills to be able to resist pressures to take drugs.
Besides, the NDLEA has launched the formation of drug free clubs in Secondary School in Nigeria so as to promote alternative activities to drug involvement by students and to encourage the application of life coping skills.

3. COMMUNITY MOBILIZE TION
This approach aims at involving community groups in drug abuse and trafficking prevention. It involves the use of traditional rulers, community/opinion leaders, youth integration programmes.
B. TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION
It is in line with the statutory responsibility of the Agency that the Treatment and Rehabilitation unit in the Drug Demand Reduction Directorate was created. The
treatment, just like NGOs, CBOs and others.

Drug Rehabilitation is predicated on the need to provide help to identified as drug dependent persons. Drug Dependency is a public health problem that impacts negatively on the soci multiple levels. This could be directly or indirectly and community, family, individual is affected in one way or the other.
There are four major Treatment /rehabilitation methods in use in Nigeria, namely:Non-Governmental Based Treatment/Rehabilitation
Community Based Treatment/Rehabilitation
Hospital based Treatment/Rehabilitation
Religious/Faith Based Treatment/Rehabilitation. The Agency’s Treatment/Rehabilitation services are available in the 36 State Commands including FCT, Abuja
C. RESEARCH AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISA TIQN LIAISON
Researches are carried out on the trends, patterns and prevalence of drug abuse problems among different target groups. These researches include school survey, hospital survey, trafficking survey and others. Data is collected from suspected traffickers in NDLEA pre-trial cells and drug abusers on admission in treatment centres across the country. The data collated is analyzed and produced as annual research report on drug abuse and trafficking. These reports are distributed to relevant Governmental, Non-Governmental, International Organizations, Corporate bodies and Individuals involved in drug abuse and trafficking prevention in Nigeria. The reports from the studies serve as base line data in designing appropriate intervention measures for Nigeria. This Unit equally liaises with Non-Governmental Organisations by supervising and monitoring their drug abuse activities and programmes within the country.

Assets and Financial Investigation The Agency uses this strategy to financially incapacitate drug offenders. The major responsibility here is to investigate assets of persons arrested for committing offences under the NDLEA Act and to identify and trace the proceeds from the dangerous drug trade, with the view to affecting the forfeiture of such proceeds of drugs to the Federal government of Nigeria.

Prosecution and Legal Services

This is the concluding arm of the Agency’s enforcement activities. At this level, the Agency undertakes the following:

a. Prosecution of offenders under the Act.
b. Provision of legal advice in matters of general operations and assets and financial investigation and,
c. Handling of extradition of drug offenders

Training and Manpower Development
They Agency’s officers and men are therefore exposed to both local and international training to ensure that their skills are properly horned for the sensitive drug war which demands delicate handling, and the application of modern methods.
The Agency’s Academy in Jos, which has been adopted as the Regional Academy for Drug Control by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is to achieve the sole purpose of providing limitless training opportunities for the officers and men of the Agency.