Why Women Get Involved In Drug Trafficking – NDLEA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has attributed the growing involvement of women in drug trafficking to a combination of poor value orientation, greed, economic difficulties, peer pressure and family background.

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, made this known on Thursday in Abuja while speaking on the increasing vulnerability of women to the illicit drug trade.

According to him, the factors pushing women into drug trafficking were largely the same as those influencing other offenders to engage in the illegal business.

Babafemi said one of the most significant causes was the failure to instill strong moral values from an early age.

“Right from their upbringing, when proper values are not inculcated in them, they are unable to build resilience against temptation and pressure to engage in the illicit drug trade,” he said.

He noted that the pursuit of wealth, social status and recognition often drives some women to participate in criminal activities.

Babafemi explained that the desire to attain a certain lifestyle associated with affluence and influence can make some individuals willing to take risks in pursuit of quick financial rewards.

He also cited economic hardship and other socio-economic challenges as major contributors, saying financial pressures frequently push vulnerable individuals towards the illegal drug market.

The NDLEA spokesperson further identified environmental factors as a significant influence, particularly for people raised in communities where drug trafficking is widespread.

According to him, continuous exposure to such environments can normalise criminal conduct and increase the likelihood of involvement.

Babafemi added that peer influence remained a powerful factor, with many women introduced to drug trafficking through friends, neighbours and associates already active in the trade.

He said the promise of easy money often makes people susceptible to persuasion from individuals who present drug trafficking as a profitable venture.

“Some of them are influenced by friends who flaunt wealth and encourage others to join the trade in order to make money,” he said.

The NDLEA spokesman also expressed concern over the role of social media and films in shaping perceptions about the illicit drug business.

He explained that some individuals become attracted to drug trafficking after consuming content that glamorises the activities of drug cartels, leading them to believe the trade is both simple and rewarding.

Babafemi further pointed to marital and domestic challenges as factors that can heighten vulnerability among women.

He said emotional distress arising from troubled relationships, family instability, heartbreak and challenges associated with polygamous homes can leave some women susceptible to criminal influences.

The anti-narcotics agency’s spokesman also noted that family history sometimes plays a role in perpetuating drug trafficking across generations.

He revealed that the agency had encountered cases where involvement in the illicit drug trade had become entrenched within families over several generations.

“We have seen situations where there are two, three or even four generations of drug dealers within a family. Some individuals grow up in families where illicit drug trafficking is regarded as a family business, leaving them exposed to no other means of livelihood,” he said.

Babafemi stressed the importance of strengthening family values, expanding community support systems and sustaining public awareness campaigns to address the root causes of drug trafficking.

He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to preventive advocacy, public enlightenment and law enforcement measures aimed at curbing drug-related crimes across the country.