Dispatch Riders and the Illicit Drug Trade in Nigeria: Areas for Legislative Intervention

Abstract

Nigeria has seen a troubling trend recently where dispatch riders, who were initially hired to provide quick and effective delivery services, have been more frequently linked to the spread of illegal substances and hard drugs (narcotics, cannabis, cocaine, and heroin). The main causes of this tendency are inadequate law enforcement coordination, technological monitoring, and regulatory inadequacies. The expansion of dispatch services in Nigerian cities is putting public health, economic stability, and national security at risk due to their abuse for drug trafficking. This brief delves into the growing issue of drug smuggling through courier services, revealing the challenges of regulating this shadowy aspect of the delivery industry. Addressing the impact of the use of dispatch riders in the delivery of illegal substances and proffering policy actions aimed at curtailing the menace, the brief recommends, among others: i. A need to create a Special Joint Taskforce involving the police, FRCS, NDLEA and NAFDAC in major cities across the country to monitor and regulate the activities of dispatch riders; ii. ii. Apart from the registration of business names with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), The National Assembly may pass a legislation to mandate the registration of all dispatch companies and their riders, including biometric data and background checks, with the Special Joint Taskforce mentioned in (i) above for the purpose of a data base for easy tracking; iii. iii. The Special Joint Taskforce should enforce section 20(1)(a) of the NDLEA Act on any culprit as this will serve as deterrence to others.