(DDM) – The House of Representatives has launched a far-reaching national investigation into the alarming rise in drug trafficking and abuse across Nigeria, raising urgent questions about the role of regulatory agencies and law enforcement in curbing the crisis.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the probe, which was initiated during plenary on Monday, will focus on uncovering systemic lapses in enforcement, corruption among regulators, and the unchecked spread of narcotics among the country’s youth population.
According to sources within the National Assembly, the motion was sponsored by members deeply worried about recent data indicating that drug abuse among Nigerian youths has more than doubled in five years, with substances like methamphetamine, tramadol, and codeine-based syrups driving the addiction wave.
The House Committee on Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs has been mandated to summon top officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Nigeria Police Force, and pharmaceutical manufacturers for questioning.
Lawmakers expressed concern that despite repeated government crackdowns, banned or controlled substances continue to circulate freely in markets, schools, and nightclubs across major cities, suggesting what they described as “a deep network of complicity” between enforcement officers and criminal cartels.
A senior member of the committee, who spoke to DDM on condition of anonymity, said the investigation would also expose how pharmaceutical importers exploit weak monitoring systems and corrupt customs officers to move illegal drugs into the country.
He added that the committee will conduct field visits to affected communities, hold public hearings, and engage civil society organisations in a six-month effort to propose new laws strengthening Nigeria’s anti-drug regime.
Lawmakers further hinted at plans to recommend stiffer penalties for convicted traffickers while pushing for rehabilitation-based reforms to help victims reintegrate into society.
Civil society groups, including the Nigeria Drug-Free Foundation and the Coalition Against Substance Abuse, have welcomed the probe but warned that without genuine political will, it could end like previous investigations that yielded no real change.
Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest drug consumption hotspots, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimating that over 14 million Nigerians are engaged in narcotics or psychotropic substance abuse.
The House leadership has vowed that this new investigation will not only identify culprits in the regulatory and enforcement chain but will also produce actionable recommendations to rescue Nigeria’s young population from the grip of addiction.
Lawmakers concluded that the report of the committee will be presented within six months for deliberation and possible legislative reforms aimed at tightening border security, reforming drug laws, and enhancing accountability within the police and NAFDAC.