Anti-Trafficking: Undoing economic losses, criminal networks by diplomatic instruments
As new realities of socio-economic complexities continue to unfold in Nigeria, the shift from legal adventures to illegal dealings have continued to attract perceivable juxtaposition. In fact, it is apparent that the preponderance of certain illegal operations have levelled up to the point that defining what are legal and illegal ventures is becoming nebulous in the Country. This is arguable in the light of present realities where widespread illicit activities are increasingly receiving warm embrace by more Nigerians as something not too bad to venture into, in so far as it yields monetary proceeds to cater for their needs.
The excuse of worsening economic conditions has been the underlining argumentative ground for more Nigerians venturing into illicit activities to justify their escapades. Such illegal dealings as cyber fraud, trafficking of human and hard drugs, smuggling, illegal mining, among others, are illicit activities many have for years settled for as a business venture. The turning of attention to these activities by increasing number of Nigerians, particularly the young folks, is a deep source of worry that calls for profound attention. Among the variant forms of illegal dealings which recently has been drawing attention is the revelations trailing the hunt for drug barons. Most recently, operations carried out to clamp down on the network of drug traffickers have revealed that the depth of transactions changing hands from this illicit venture is one which bears resonating profile of concern that poses acute socio-economic risks to the Country.
Illegal operations apparently is one field of activity in Nigeria growing its wings and spreading its tentacles across the Country. The subject on its own is one broad matter of discourse that categorically bears variant wings of phenomenon of national consequences. While the discourse on several forms of illegal operations in Nigeria have been largely long-winded, ready solutions to stem their wings have not been seen very much near the sight of a promising end. Rather, the preponderance of several variants of these operations continue to manifest, bearing newer offsprings geometrically.
Trafficking in Nigeria is one variant of illegal operation whose roots have continued to wax deeper and its tentacles expanding widely across the Country. It will however be a clumsy discourse to talk of trafficking without schematic categorisation, as the menace itself is an illegal industry with offshoot of variant branches. The subject in Nigeria is one which has grown to include illegal dealings of trafficking of both human and prohibited goods. The phenomenon of drug trafficking having to do with Nigeria, is one subject of concern which when narrowed down on assessment calls for concern. The menace by Nigerian illicit traffickers has grown wide to attract global attention. Recent reports of exposed cases have shown the magnitude of how drug trafficking venture is exchanging hands at alarming rate.
On Wednesday, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) disclosed that the losses accruing from activities of drug merchants is over $400 billion to foreign havens, stolen and expatriated by corrupt leaders and their foreign accomplices, including multinational companies. The NDLEA boss who made the disclosure while speaking at the 14th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, taking place in Kyoto, Japan had said: “The criminals and organised criminal groups have deployed new strategies through increased online criminal activities in a bid to navigate the global shut down of traditional trafficking routes following the COVID-19 pandemic. There is, therefore, an urgent need to strengthen regional and international cooperation to identify and manage the various jurisdictional manifestations of this ugly trend.”
It is essential that such integrated and balanced approach as defined under the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP), which was first introduced from 2015-2019 and, now revised for another five years, from 2021-2025, should be refined further with strategic implementation plans to further develop a virile response system to clamp down on the networking channels of traffickers. The necessity to streamline the operational structures of the NDCMP to neutralise threats to law enforcement efforts by incorporating and strengthening regional and international cooperation in countering illicit trade and trafficking in narcotic drugs is a significant step that should be given utmost attention. Enhanced bi-lateral and multi-lateral agreements to build networking strategies to clamp down heavily on the channels of drug trafficking across frontiers is one strategic measure the Nigerian government should strengthen through the relevant agencies. The example of Operation Eagle, which was a joint operation with select Countries to counter the menace of illicit drugs is one case in point. However, while this looks rational, it is not virile enough in scope to handle the expanded tentacles of the prevailing networks of drug trafficking channels operating in and through the Country.
Beyond drug trafficking, it is imperative for the Nigerian government to further strengthen the use of diplomatic instruments in terms of bilateral and multilateral pact as strategic measures to dislodging the networks of all forms of illegal dealings, operations and transactions which employ international frontiers in their channeling routes. This becomes perceivable in the sense that since the operational patterns of these illegal operations routes their transactional movements across international frontiers, it is only rational that any effort to effectively cut off these networking channels must be that of coordinated approaches incorporating agreement of the Countries in concern. It is hence significant for the Nigerian government rather than being preoccupied and roving round the traditional system of addressing illegal operations, to settle for stronger proactive measures embracing and incorporating systemic diplomatic measures.
