GREY hair has long been associated with wisdom, integrity and respect in society, but the recent unusual involvement of the elderly in the menace of drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria has raised concerns about the crucial role of senior citizens in promoting virtues and attitudinal change among the nation’s teeming youth population generally considered vulnerable to the menace.
IN a strange occurrence, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently raised the alarm over the increasing recruitment of elderly citizens by criminal syndicates to transport and distribute illicit drugs, falsely assuming that they will attract less suspicion.In a string of nationwide crackdowns, the agency has arrested multiple grandparents and elderly individuals across several states.
OPERATIONS of the agency have highlighted the involvement of the elderly in both local drug peddling and international trafficking.In Abia State, the NDLEA arrested two elderly men, 84-year old Godfrey Orji and 75-year old Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora for allegedly selling opioids including tramadol to secondary school students.
ACCORDING to a statement issued by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Pa Obiora was arrested on June19 following intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to secondary school students and other residents from his patent medicine store located on Club Road, Umuahia.
WHILE Pa Obiora used his patent medicine store as a front for the illegal trade, Orji was caught directly supplying students on school premises. In Rivers State, an 80-year old grandfather was apprehended by NDLEA officials in Ahoada with 800 grammes of skunk.
ALSO in Abuja, operatives intercepted a 74 year- old grandfather at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, while attempting to board a flight to London with eleven kilograms of cocaine concealed in ground dry pepper and foil paper.
IN Lagos State, an 80-year old grandfather, Pa Aremu Shojobi was arrested at his home in Iyana-Ipaja with 14 kilograms of cannabis. He confessed to being in the illicit drug business for 25 years.
Nationwide sweeps have also led to the arrests of a 78-year old man in Ekiti State and an 83-year old shoemaker-turned -drug distributor in Abia State .
THE HOPE condemns in all its ramifications the attitude of these senior citizens as they have brazenly betrayed societal expectations of their status of providing the requisite compass of morality and attitudinal change for the younger generation of Nigerians.
CRIMINAL syndicates actively target senior citizens because they are perceived as trustworthy and deflect suspicion from border and law enforcement agents. Once caught, the elders bear the full brunt of the law while the organisers remain at large. Many elders are lured into this dastardly act due to marginalisation, poverty or depression, making them easy targets for traffickers promising quick money.
IN many cultures, elders are traditionally viewed as the custodians of culture, ethics and good conduct. Their involvement in drug trafficking therefore sends a deeply unsettling message to younger generations, signaling a breakdown of long-held societal expectations. These high-profile arrests bring profound shame, stigma and ostracisation to both the individuals and their extended families.
THE HOPE equally observes that beyond the social implications, drug toxicity and interactions pose severe health risks to these senior citizens. When elders become involved in drug abuse, alongside trafficking, age-related physiological changes make their bodies highly sensitive to substances. They are at a much higher risk for fatal overdoses and adverse substance reactions. Additionally, the anxiety of being caught, combined with the dangerous nature of criminal networks, causes severe mental torture and fear. While older adults often suffer from chromic illnesses including heart diseases and diabetes, the immense stress and poor conditions associated with the illicit trade can rapidly worsen these ailments.
THOUGH the Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has firmly stated that age will not shield anyone caught involved in drug abuse and trafficking from prosecution, as the agency is committed to treating drug related cases with equal gravity, charging elderly suspects in court, these elders are once again reminded that being marginalised, desperate to recoup lost finances or being physically challenged is not an acceptable legal defence in court. Senior citizens involved drug trafficking-whether acting as a courier, distributor or front for a syndicate are implored to desist from engaging in such criminal acts and immediately sever all ties with criminal networks. Family members of such senior citizens are advised to identify the vulnerability force driving the behaviour and seek help from trusted family members and social support services.
THE HOPE commends the NDLEA for its concerted effort at combating the menace of drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria, but WE equally recommend the adoption of preventive strategies involving key components such as sensitisation campaigns in secondary schools, higher institutions of learning, public places and religious centres. Radio and Television jingles focusing on the negative consequences of drug abuse and trafficking are equally critical in this regard.
NO doubt, government at all level, as well as the primary Anti- narcotic agency in Nigeria, the NDLEA supported by international organisations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other stakeholders have striven to eradicate this menace through initiatives aimed at preventing the production, trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs.
YET, dismantling organised criminal networks, is critical as it is undoubtedly detrimental for senior citizens who are generally adjuged to be at the peak of their life span, with expectations of promoting attitudinal and behavioral change among the youths .