National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Its Effectiveness in Curbing Drug Abuse in Ilorin Metropolis

Drug abuse is a long-term social and health issue affecting the 
Nigerian populace, especially the adolescent population in urban 
regions. The current study evaluates the effectiveness of the National 
Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in reducing the drug abuse in 
Ilorin Metropolis. Convergent mixed-methods design was adopted 
where quantitative surveys were combined with qualitative processes. 
Structured questionnaires among 391 participants (residents, 
community leaders, NDLEA staff and healthcare professionals) and 
contextual data on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions 
were used. Numerical data was processed using descriptive and 
inferential statistics, and qualitative content using thematic analysis. 
The findings mention a considerable rate of drug abuse (67.8%), where 
cannabis, tramadol, and codeine-based syrups are the most visited 
drugs, especially among people aged 15 to 34. The generally positive 
perceptions of NDLEA enforcement were moderate (mean 2.6), but 
limited by the low funding, lack of human resources, corruption, and 
poor cooperation among agencies. Preventive education campaigns had middle-ground effects (mean = 2.9), and rehabilitation programs 
were negatively affected by lack of infrastructure and stigmatization. 
The level of community trust of the NDLEA operations was partial, and 
it was in response to the additional needs of more integrated, 
community-based solutions. It is concluded that in spite of the visible 
results in enforcing the law and raising awareness, the NDLEA suffers 
due to structural, socio-economic and operational constraints and thus 
its effectiveness is still to be measured. The recommendations involve 
addition of government funding, to the existing training programs, 
increasing rehabilitation services, and strengthening community 
partnerships, in order to enhance the ability of the agency to face the 
challenge of drug abuse in Ilorin