LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS AND DEBT RECOVERY IN NIGERIA:SOCIO-LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS.

Abstract

This article focuses on the continuing involvement of law enforcement agents in the process of debt recovery in Nigeria. This is against the backdrop that often times, creditors resort to non-conventional methods of debt recovery through the use of law enforcement agents to harass, intimidate, assault, arrest, detain and cajole debtors to pay the debt. This article considers the reasons many creditors resort to such unconventional means in the recovery of debt. The judicial condemnation that has trailed the use of self-help in Nigeria and the existing legal frameworks for the recoveries of debts in Nigeria were also considered. Arising from the above, the conventional procedure for debt recovery in Nigeria was considered. The article also considered the implication of the use of law enforcement agents to recover debts vis a vis existing laws and fundamental rights of debtors in Nigeria. The paper concludes that debt is a civil wrong which requires lawful means and approach for its recovery, and recommended that adherence to legal means of debt recovery will greatly reduce incidence of abuse of powers by Law Enforcement Agents.