Africa: Unusual Suspects - Elders in West Africa's Changing Drug Trade

What the report says

An Institute for Security Studies analysis published by AllAfrica on 27 August 2026 says older adults are becoming more visible in West Africa’s drug trafficking networks, a development the author frames as a possible criminal adaptation rather than isolated offending. The piece highlights Nigeria as a key example, citing Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency website and comments from NDLEA media director Femi Babafemi.

According to the report, Nigeria has seen arrests of suspects aged 60 to 101 since January, with additional cases among people aged 50 to 59. Babafemi told ISS Today that arrests of suspects aged 55 to 80 across the country point to a broader pattern. The article also notes reported cases in Cameroon and Senegal, and says regional data remain fragmented, making it difficult to compare trends across West Africa.

The analysis says older people may be attractive to trafficking groups because they are less likely to fit common enforcement profiles and can move across land and maritime routes with less suspicion. It also points to wider pressures that can increase vulnerability, including poverty, isolation, weak social support and medical needs. The report says elders are appearing in multiple roles, from couriers and intermediaries to storage providers and leaders.

The article places the trend in the context of West Africa’s growing role in global drug flows, including cocaine, methamphetamine and synthetic cannabis. It argues that law enforcement and humanitarian responses should be better data-driven and rights-based, with more research on how older people are recruited and how trafficking networks operate.