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Tag: illicit drugs

  • Illicit drugs: Marwa calls for national response, support for alternative development

    Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has called for a strong national response and sustained support for the alternative development programme recently initiated to curb illicit cannabis cultivation, uplift rural communities, and strengthen national security.

    Marwa spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday to drum up support for the first in Africa drug control initiative, a pilot scheme that was launched in three cannabis growing communities in Ondo state last week.

    While explaining the alternative development strategy of drug control, the NDLEA boss said the concept goes far beyond crop substitution, stressing that, “Its wider benefits include: strengthening rural economies through value-chain development; reducing the burden on law enforcement and the justice system; promoting peace and social cohesion in previously crime-prone areas; supporting national food production and agricultural diversification; improving Nigeria’s international standing in global drug control and development cooperation.”

    According to him, “This approach represents a win-win solution—for communities, for government, and for national security. The successful take-off of the pilot scheme in Ilu Abo, Ifon, and Eleyewo in Ondo state last week clearly demonstrates that alternative development works when communities are engaged, supported, and empowered.

    “We therefore call for a strong national response and sustained support from all stakeholders across all layers of government, traditional rulers and community leaders, development partners and donor agencies, the private sector and agricultural value-chain actors, as well as civil society organisations and the media.”

    He also urged communities across the country, particularly those affected by illicit drug cultivation, to embrace the model and work with the NDLEA in building lawful, productive, and secure livelihoods.

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    “Let me reiterate that the alternative development programme is not just a drug control initiative; it is a people-centred development intervention designed to uplift communities, strengthen national security, and secure Nigeria’s future.”

    He assured that the Agency “remains fully committed to expanding this programme nationwide, in partnership with all stakeholders, as we collectively build a safer, healthier, and more prosperous Nigeria in alignment with the renewed hope agenda of the President Tinubu administration.”

    Speaking on the successful flag-off of the scheme in Ondo state, Marwa said, “One of the most encouraging outcomes of this pilot project has been the overwhelming acceptance and support expressed by the host communities and their traditional and community leaders. They have openly stated that this programme has renewed their hope in Nigeria and restored their confidence in the government. They recognize that Alternative Development offers a dignified and lawful source of income for farmers; reduction in poverty and vulnerability, especially among rural households; improved food security through the introduction of viable alternative crops; enhanced community stability and safety, as illicit drug cultivation often fuels criminal networks and insecurity.”

    He noted that replacing cannabis cultivation with sustainable agricultural and economic opportunities, the programme directly tackles the root causes of drug production rather than merely treating the symptoms.

    The NDLEA boss said the dire reality of illicit cannabis cultivation and use in Nigeria made the Agency to look beyond law enforcement and consider a United Nations-endorsed alternative to solving the cannabis conundrum.

    “The evidence-based comprehensive data on drug use in Nigeria exposes a bleak and deeply troubling reality. According to the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics with technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), an estimated 14.4 per cent of Nigerians aged 15–64 years — or roughly 14.3 million people — reported using at least one psychoactive substance in the past year, a figure that is more than twice the global prevalence of drug use. Cannabis stands starkly at the centre of this crisis, dominating both patterns of consumption and the illicit cultivation landscape.”

    He further disclosed, “Cannabis is not a marginal issue in Nigeria – it is the most frequently used and widely available illicit drug in the country. An estimated 10.6 million adults – more than one in every ten Nigerians in the prime of life – reported using cannabis in the past year, far outstripping the use of other drugs. The severity of the problem extends beyond consumption into widespread cultivation and organized production. Field assessments focusing on high-risk areas in the South West reveal that nearly 8,900 hectares of land are under cannabis cultivation, often hidden deep within forests and remote regions. These illicit farms are clustered and interconnected, hinting at organized networks that not only supply domestic demand but also facilitate trafficking beyond Nigeria’s borders.”

    Painting a grim picture of the challenge, Marwa said, “The social and public health implications are stark. With youth and adults alike turning to habitual cannabis use often initiated in late adolescence, the nation faces the threat of long-term health consequences, increased dependency, and cascading social harms, including lost productivity, crime, and the burden on overstretched healthcare systems. More revealing is the fact that out of a total of 15 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs seized by NDLEA in the past five years, over 75 percent of them are cannabis. Just imagine the harm that quantity would have done to our youths, public health, and national security.”

    He, however, expressed confidence that the alternative development initiative will reverse the trend if given a strong national response and sustained support because it’s fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

    He commended national stakeholders and international partners who have shown support for the initiative.

    “This pilot project was flagged off with the invaluable support of several global institutions and partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development (GPDPD), Berlin, Germany; Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage (MFLF), Bangkok, Thailand; as well as support from friendly countries and development partners committed to sustainable livelihoods and community resilience, including friends and partners who participated virtually from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Germany, Thailand, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, Myanmar, Bhutan, Laos, Afghanistan, Iran, and Guatemala. Also significant was the presence and support of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Ayedatiwa, and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyariwho was ably represented by the Regional Director Southwest, Mrs. Alao Temitayo,” he said. 

  • Illicit drugs and the challenge of addiction

    Illicit drugs and the challenge of addiction

    • By Christiana Daniel

    Sir: Nigeria’s fight against illicit drugs has intensified in ways that are impossible to ignore. Across the country, seizures have increased, trafficking routes have been disrupted, and criminal networks have come under sustained pressure. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been at the centre of this effort, expanding its operational reach and reinforcing the message that drug trafficking carries real consequences. These actions have improved security, reduced the brazenness of drug markets, and reassured many communities that the state is present and alert.

    Yet for all this progress, many Nigerians still encounter drugs in their everyday environments. Familiar faces linger in the same spots, open drug scenes re-emerge, and drug-related petty crime continues to unsettle neighbourhoods. This reality is often misinterpreted as enforcement weakness, but a closer look reveals a different truth. The persistence of drugs on the streets is driven less by the failure to stop supply and more by the continued presence of people who are already dependent on drugs and have nowhere else to go.

    Decades of research in criminology and public health show that once dependence takes hold, demand becomes stubbornly resistant to pressure. Prices can rise, dealers can be arrested, and routes can shift, but the dependent user keeps searching. This is why many low-level drug offenders appear repeatedly in arrest records. They are not hardened criminals adapting to enforcement; they are individuals trapped in a cycle of addiction, relapse, and survival. Without treatment, enforcement clears the street temporarily, only for demand to recreate the market.

    Modern drug policy increasingly recognizes drug dependence as a chronic health condition influenced by social and economic realities. Unemployment, trauma, displacement, untreated mental health conditions, and social exclusion all raise the risk of problematic drug use. Punishment alone does little to address these drivers. Evidence from multiple countries shows that while enforcement is necessary to maintain order, long-term reductions in drug use and drug-related crime depend heavily on accessible treatment and rehabilitation services.

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    This is why rehabilitation is not a soft option or a diversion from security priorities; it is a core security tool. Every dependent person who receives effective treatment represents one less steady customer for street dealers, one less repeat arrest for law enforcement, and one less vulnerable individual feeding the illicit drug economy. Studies consistently show that treatment and rehabilitation reduce relapse rates, cut drug-related offences, and ease the burden on courts, prisons, and policing. In practical terms, rehabilitation locks in the gains that enforcement creates.

    NDLEA’s evolving approach already reflects this understanding. Beyond seizures and arrests, the agency has increasingly emphasized counselling, treatment referrals, and rehabilitation as part of its broader mandate. This integrated thinking aligns with global best practice. However, the scale of drug dependence far outstrips the current capacity of rehabilitation facilities. Many communities lack functional centres altogether, while others rely on informal or overstretched options that cannot support sustained recovery.

    Expanding rehabilitation infrastructure is therefore not a critique of what has been done, but a logical extension of it. More treatment centres, trained addiction professionals, structured aftercare, and community reintegration programmes would reduce relapse and break the cycle that returns people to the streets. Effective rehabilitation does more than detoxify; it restores dignity, rebuilds skills, and reconnects individuals to families and productive life. Where recovery systems are strong, drug markets shrink naturally because demand fades.

    Nigeria’s drug control challenge will not be resolved by choosing between enforcement and compassion. The country has already demonstrated resolve through strong law enforcement. The next phase of progress lies in matching that resolve with investment in recovery. A society cannot arrest addiction out of existence, but it can treat it out of circulation. When lives are restored, streets remain clean not because they are constantly cleared, but because fewer people are driven back to them.

    • Christiana Daniel,

     Jalingo, Taraba State.

  • Elders and illicit drugs

    Elders and illicit drugs

    • By Tosin Damola

    Sir: In many African societies, elders are traditionally regarded as custodians of culture, ethics, and good conduct. A woman aged 60 and above is often seen as a mother, grandmother, adviser, and moral compass to younger ones. When someone at that age is linked to criminal activity, it sends a deeply unsettling message: that age and experience no longer guarantee moral uprightness. This represents a troubling breakdown of long-held societal expectations and responsibilities.

    It is particularly disheartening to witness the involvement of elderly persons—both men and women—in the distribution of illicit substances. The situation becomes even more alarming when those who should be warning the young against crime are instead being arrested for the very acts they ought to condemn. Such developments suggest that greed and moral compromise are increasingly overtaking conscience.

    The recent arrest of a 65-year-old woman popularly known as “Mama Kerosine” by NDLEA in Ibadan, Oyo State, for alleged involvement in large-scale drug trafficking is a disturbing example. Beyond the crime itself, the incident raises serious questions about the erosion of values that once guided individuals, families, and communities. At an age when wisdom, restraint, and moral leadership are expected, she is instead accused of contributing to a menace that destroys lives and futures.

    This reality reinforces a painful truth: criminality cuts across all age brackets. When elders are implicated in crime, it weakens the moral foundation upon which society is built. Young people who observe such behaviour may begin to lose faith in honesty, dignity, and the value of hard work, believing that success can be achieved through any means.

    Reports of arrests carried out by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in recent times further underscore this concern, with accounts of men and women in their 70s and even 80s apprehended for drug-related offences across different states. These cases confirm that old age neither excludes individuals from involvement in crime nor shields them from the consequences of the law.

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    While economic hardship and social pressure are often cited as reasons for criminal behaviour, such explanations cannot justify actions that endanger lives. Many Nigerians face similar challenges yet choose lawful paths of survival. When elders abandon morality under the excuse of hardship, they rob younger generations of the moral courage to endure difficulties with integrity.

    Although the efforts of law enforcement agencies in exposing and dismantling drug networks deserve recognition, arrests alone cannot cure moral decay. The deeper roots lie in weakened family values, eroded community structures, and declining accountability among elders. Moral decay flourishes where wrongdoing is excused, normalized, or ignored.

    Parents, guardians, religious leaders, and traditional authorities must rise to the challenge of restoring discipline and values. Elders, in particular, must remember that leadership is not defined by age or status alone, but by example. When moral failure occurs at the top, its consequences ripple through generations.

    The arrest of the 65-year-old woman is a sobering reminder that moral decline knows no age limit. It should serve as a wake-up call for collective reflection and action. Society must recommit to integrity, contentment, and social responsibility, reinforcing moral education at home, in schools, and within communities.

    A society that loses its moral compass ultimately risks losing its future.

    •Tosin Damola,

    Lokoja, Kogi State.

  • Reps committee raises alarm over increase smuggling of illicit drugs

    Reps committee raises alarm over increase smuggling of illicit drugs

    • To probe diversion of imported finished goods to free trade zones

    The House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise has vowed to investigate alleged diversion of containers imported with finished goods to the Free Trade Zones across the country to avoid payment of duties leading to the loss of over N1.6 trillion by the government.

    Chairman of the Committee, Leke Abejide, who spoke when he led other members of the committee on an oversight visit to the Lagos Free Trade Zone raised concern over the large quantity of hard drugs being smuggled into the country.

    Abejide said the committee has a series of reports of finished goods being imported into the free zone with the aim of evading the payment of duties on such goods.

    He said the committee has received reports that the criminal act is being perpetrated with the connivance of some customs licensed agents and officials of the service to shortchange the nation of needed revenues.

    He said the act, which amounts to great economic sabotage, is being perpetrated through various commands of the service, saying “Recently, over 100 trucks loaded with imported items lined up to offload their content into a free trade zone in Kano.

    “What are they doing in a free trade zone when they are not carrying raw materials? They were supposed to go to a bonded terminal. We have information on all these practices.

    “We know those involved in this practice and we are going to carry out an investigation dating five years back and we will recover all the revenue the government has lost over these years”.

    He said the House will do everything possible to ensure that the problem is addressed, while preventing the misuse of the free trade zones to the detriment of the Nigerian economy.

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    He said further free trade zone companies are also in the habit of under paying their duties because of the provisions of the law which allows them to make payment three months after production.

    Speaking on the seizure of hard drugs and other unregistered drugs being smuggled into the country, Abejide said the practice was worrisome as the nation’s youths are now constantly exposed to drugs.

    Speaking against the backdrop of reports of seizure of large quantities of drugs such a cannabis sativa, Canadian loud and tramadol, Abejide threw his weight behind clamour for capital punishment for those involved in the smuggling of drugs into the country, blaming lack of scanners at the ports.

    “We are in danger in this country if we keep allowing all these drugs to come into the country. This is happening because there are no scanners. So, we must take this issue of scanners seriously to help nip this act in the bud.

    The Area Comptroller in charge of the Lagos Free Trade Zone, Olanrewaju Olumoh, told the committee that the command intercepted  two containers of tramadol and one trailer load of unregistered drugs between January and March 2025.

    He also informed the Committee that, despite being the youngest Command, the Lagos Free Trade Zone Command emerged as a front-runner in revenue performance, adding that so far, it has generated about N113 billion in the first three months of the year.

  • Fight against illicit drugs: Advocates urge FG to change style

    Fight against illicit drugs: Advocates urge FG to change style

    Nigeria Drug Harm Reduction advocates want the Federal government of Nigeria to change its format in the war against illicit drug use and abuse.

    Speaking during a two day workshop on media and communication which attracted human rights activists as well as journalists, the advocates unanimously projected that reducing the harm associated with drug use and dependency is the new way forward in the long drawn war.

    In his submission, Chairman of the Drug Harm Reduction Advocates, James Eghaghe pointed out that if Nigeria must win the war against use, abuse and sometimes addiction of people to illicit drug, attention must be paid on the health risks and harm associated with drug use and how to reduce them rather than looking for punitive measures.

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    Eghaghe, who is also national president of Nigeria Network for People who Use Drugs (NNPUD),  pointed that Nigeria may be wasting much funds with little success.”

    Also speaking, Comrade Edem Ekpenyong National Coordinator of Nigeria Drug Harm Reduction Advocates, hinted that Nigeria had over the years only focused on the two other arms in the illicit drug battle namely, chasing and punishing drug users and suppliers, without looking into the issues of harm reduction which includes providing unpolluted syringes, provision of drugs like Naloxone against over dosage and other harm reduction strategies.

  • Canadian lady jailed 11 years for importing illicit drugs

    Canadian lady jailed 11 years for importing illicit drugs

    A 41-year-old Canadian lady, Adrienne Munju, has been convicted and sentenced to 11 years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos for importing 74 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of synthetic cannabis weighing 35.20 kilograms into Nigeria. 

    Director, Media and Advocacy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement yesterday.

    Munju’s conviction followed her arraignment on two counts charge before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of a Federal High Court, Lagos by the NDLEA.

    She was  arrested at the Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos on October 3, 2024 during the inward clearance of in-bound passengers on KLM flight at the ‘D’ Arrival Hall of the airport.

    In her statement after her arrest, she claimed she was recruited to traffic the illicit consignment through an online platform for 10,000 Canadian dollars upon successful delivery in Lagos.

    The statement reads: “She said she took the offer because she needed the money to pay for her ongoing master’s degree program in Canada.

    Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Munju to the term of imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against her by NDLEA.

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    Prosecuting Counsel, Abu Ibrahim, told the court that the illegal acts of the convict, contravened sections 20(1}(a) and 19 of the NDLEA Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the same Act…

    After the conclusion of the review of the facts of the crime, the prosecutor urged the court to convict the Canadian as charged based on the evidence placed before the court, the exhibits tendered and the guilty plea of the defendant. As a result, Justice Dipeolu after reviewing the facts of the case as submitted by Abu Ibrahim convicted the defendant as charged.

    After listening to the allocutus by the defendant’s counsel, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Munju to six years imprisonment on count one and five years on count two.

    The judge however gave the convict an option of N50 million fine on each of the two counts, bringing the total fine to N100 million.

  • Canadian lady jailed for importing illicit drugs

    Canadian lady jailed for importing illicit drugs

    A 41-year-old Canadian lady, Adrienne Munju, has been convicted and sentenced to 11 years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos for importing 74 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of synthetic cannabis weighing 35.20 kilograms into Nigeria.  

    Director, Media and Advocacy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

    Munju’s conviction followed her arraignment on two counts charge before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of a Federal High Court, Lagos by the NDLEA.

    She was  arrested at the terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos on Thursday 3rd October 2024 during the inward clearance of in-bound passengers on KLM flight at the ‘D’ Arrival Hall of the airport.

    In her statement after her arrest, she claimed she was recruited to traffic the illicit consignment through an online platform for 10,000 Canadian dollars upon successful delivery in Lagos. 

    The statement reads: “She said she took the offer because she needed the money to pay for her ongoing master’s degree program in Canada.

    Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Muju to the term of imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against her by NDLEA.

    “Prosecuting Counsel, Barrister Abu Ibrahim, told the court that the illegal acts of the convict, contravened sections 20(1}(a) and 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act (NDLEA) Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the same Act.

    “Following her guilty plea, the prosecutor called his witness, Angela Mba, an Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics narrated how the Canadian was arrested with the illicit drugs, after which she tendered some exhibits, which include: two suitcases that were used in concealing the drugs, her Canadian passport, confessional statements, laboratory test analysis reports and samples of the illicit drug. All the tendered exhibits were admitted as Exhibits 1 to 13.

    “After the conclusion of the review of the facts of the crime, the prosecutor urged the court to convict the Canadian as charged based on the evidence placed before the court, the exhibits tendered and the guilty plea of the defendant. As a result, Justice Dipeolu after reviewing the facts of the case as submitted by Abu Ibrahim convicted the defendant as charged.

    “After listening to the allocutus by the defendant’s counsel, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Adrienne Munju to six years imprisonment on count one and five years on count two.

    “The judge however gave the convict an option of N50 million fine on each of the two counts, bringing the total fine to N100 million.

    “The two counts charge reads: ‘That you Adrienne Munju, Adult, Female, a Canadian, on or about the 3rd of October, 2024 during the inward clearance of in-bound passengers on KLM flight at the ‘D’ Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos without lawful authority imported 35.20 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, otherwise known as ‘Canadian Loud’, you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to Section 20(1)(a) and punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act (NDLEA) Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    “’That you Adrienne Munju, Adult, Female, a Canadian, on or about the 3rd of October, 2024 during the inward clearance of in-bound passengers on KLM flight at the ‘D’ Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos without lawful authority knowingly possessed 35.20 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa otherwise known as ‘Canadian Loud’, you thereby committed an act which is an offence contrary to Section 19 of the National Drug Law ⁠Enforcement Agency Act (NDLEA) Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.’”

    While commending the officers and men of the MMIA Strategic Command involved in the arrest and prosecution of the case as well as the judiciary for speedy adjudication, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the prompt conviction and sentencing of the convict as well as the stiff penalty will send a strong warning to foreigners and others who may be contemplating bringing illicit drugs into Nigeria.

  • Enlisting communities in fight against illicit drugs

    Enlisting communities in fight against illicit drugs

    Sir: The theme for this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, as announced by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), succinctly captures the essence of what ought to be our collective struggle: “The evidence is clear; invest in prevention.” This theme resonates deeply with the foundational principle that prevention has always been and remains far superior to cure.

    Drug abuse, the spectre haunting our communities, knows no bounds of age, gender, or economic standing. It is an equal opportunity destroyer, lurking in the shadows, waiting to ensnare the unsuspecting and vulnerable. Among the most susceptible are our adolescents and young adults, teetering on the brink of experimentation, navigating the tumultuous waters of peer influence and societal pressures. Their innate curiosity and quest for identity make them prime targets for the siren call of substance abuse.

    This is why it is imperative that we direct our prevention efforts with laser-like precision towards these demographics, equipping them with the armour of knowledge and resilience to navigate the terrain of adolescence unscathed.

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    The landscape of youth culture today is a labyrinth of influences, both positive and perilous. From social media platforms to peer circles, the barrage of messages extolling the virtues of substance use often outweighs the voice of reason. In this battleground of ideologies, prevention programs would offer a beacon of hope that illuminates the path towards informed decision-making and healthy choices. The particular reason for this is that by empowering adolescents and young adults with a good understanding of the physiological and psychological ramifications of drug abuse, we arm them with the tools needed to resist the allure of experimentation.

    Communities poised on the frontlines of the battle against drug abuse must orchestrate strategic initiatives tailored to safeguarding their most vulnerable members, particularly adolescents and young adults. One potent avenue is the organization of mini-lectures, a collaborative effort uniting educators, health workers, and law enforcement agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). These sessions should serve as vital platforms for disseminating crucial information about the perils of substance abuse, tapping into the expertise of diverse stakeholders to deliver comprehensive insights.

    The efficacy of drug abuse prevention programs (DAPPs) cannot be overstated because they are rooted in scientific research and evidence-based practices. These programs serve as bastions of knowledge and resilience against the tide of peer pressure and societal influences. They arm individuals with the tools needed to navigate the complexities of life, empowering them to make informed decisions and resist the allure of substance abuse.

    Policymakers in education can also add DAPP modules to the curriculum to equip students with the knowledge and skills to navigate life’s challenges. Students’ participation in anti-drug abuse clubs such as the Drug Free Clubs in schools and tertiary institutions should also be encouraged by parents and teachers alike. The clubs and groups should be fully equipped with knowledge about drug use and how to discourage it through strategic preventive programmes.

     Prevention programmes must be evidence-based and should leverage local resources, mobilize volunteers, and disseminate information through events, campaigns, and informative materials. Facilitators must also be meticulously trained to avoid misinformation and other improper conduct that can distort prevention efforts.

    In the end, it is through such collaborative endeavours that we can forge a resilient network of support and education, one capable of significantly reducing drug abuse and fostering a healthier environment for all. As the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking looms large, let us heed the clarion call to invest in prevention, for the evidence is indeed clear: our future depends on it.

    •Mahmud Isa Yola, Abuja.

  • ‘How U.S., China, others are battling illicit drugs

    ‘How U.S., China, others are battling illicit drugs

    Todd Robinson is the United States’ Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.  Ambassador Robinson, at a Washington Foreign Press Center briefing speaks on the department’s efforts to reduce the supply of illicit fentanyl and synthetic drugs coming to the United States from overseas through mechanisms such as the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats. United States Bureau Chief OLUKOREDE YISHAU was there. Excerpts:

     67th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs

    It marked the first time in history that the Secretary of State participated in the CND, underscoring the paramount importance the United States places on combatting the global threat of illicit synthetic drugs through international cooperation.   

    The UN and the CND specifically is a unique venue for countries to work collectively to advance solutions to the most challenging drug issues.  Illicit synthetic drugs are fueling a public health crisis that affects communities across the United States and around the globe.  Traffickers are exploiting increasingly complex shipment routes, manufacturers are innovating to obtain ingredients and equipment, and criminal networks are capitalizing on vulnerabilities within data collection systems.  INL regularly leads U.S. engagement in various multilateral fora on countering narcotics and crime, and the CND is a premiere policymaking body within the UN – within the UN system on drug control matters.  It is imperative that we and other nations utilize opportunities and resources like the CND to drive concrete action to address challenges related to illicit synthetic drugs.

    That is why we are so pleased to report that at the urging of the United States and others, international community came together at the CND and unanimously agreed to new controls for 23 substances, of which 18 are precursors used in the illicit manufacturing of fentanyl and other illicit synthetic drugs.

    What does this mean in practice?  As a result of this action, the 192 countries which are party to the 1988 convention will be obligated to add these chemicals to their own domestic chemical control systems, to effectively monitor international trade in these chemicals, and provide a legal basis to seize these chemicals if there’s evidence that they are intended to be used in illicit drug manufacture.   

    Countries party to the convention will also be legally required to enforce proper labeling, documentation of imports and exports.  We can request that countries exporting these chemicals to the United States provide specific information that can help identify suspicious shipments.  In addition to these obligations, parties will be obligated to report information to the International Narcotics Control Board annually on seizures of these substances, allowing for faster and better cooperation among enforcement authorities.

    The international scheduling of these chemicals will strengthen law enforcement efforts to counter trafficking of dangerous drugs that are devastating communities in the United States and around the world.  In direct response to the public health challenges we see at home, the United States and 30 of our partners from around the world came together at the CND to sponsor a resolution, a document that guides UN member-states and the UN on implementing the international drug control treaties or other drug control commitments on overdose prevention and response.  The resolution was successfully adopted and will advance global data collection and information sharing on this issue to reduce the number of overdoses linked to drugs such as fentanyl.

    The successes at the CND last month represent only part of our efforts.  As you likely know, the United States launched the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats in July 2023.  Under the leadership of Secretary Blinken, this international endeavor has garnered participation from 151 countries and 14 international organizations.  Through collaborative efforts, the coalition is swiftly moving to translate recommendations into tangible actions aimed at preventing illicit drug production, trafficking, detecting emerging threats, and promoting public health interventions.   

    U.S.’s support

    The United States is significantly bolstering its support in this fight.  Following the initial commitment of $100 million last September, the administration has requested approximately $170 million more to fund global efforts aimed at tackling illicit synthetic drug threats.  These resources will enhance law enforcement capabilities, forge cross-border cooperation and information sharing, support public health initiatives, and expand access to treatment for individuals grappling with addiction.   

    We are very pleased that the CND meeting served as the catalyst for enhanced international commitment and change.  There is more to be done.  The United States remains steadfast in its dedication to this cause and calls upon all nations to join us in our collective efforts to safeguard public health, promote global security, and combat the threat of illicit synthetic drugs.  

     The fight against drugs as a priority

    The United States and Colombia have a long history of working together, fighting the trafficking of cocaine, and increasingly going after traffickers of synthetic drugs.  We continue to work very closely together.  The Petro administration has made it very clear that they want the United States walking side-by-side with them on the fight against illicit trafficking, anti-corruption efforts, interdiction efforts.  They want to look at other areas like environmental crimes and rural security.  And the United States has made it very clear that it’s committed to working with the Government of Colombia to continue in this fight.   

    Mexico, China, and other countries   

     The United States works very closely with our neighbors – both Mexico and Canada – in a trilateral effort to reduce the amount of synthetic drugs coming into the United States, to go after networks that are distributing and manufacturing these drugs, and to both exchange information, to look at efforts on addressing public health issues.  We are – we have been working very closely – we continue to work very closely with our partners in Mexico both on the – on going – identifying the networks and going after the networks.  We have worked very closely on building capacity and making sure that our southwest border, their northern border, have the tools necessary to monitor trafficking of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals.  So we have great cooperation with Mexico.   

    We are increasingly working more closely with China.  You will all recall that during the Woodside meeting between President Biden and President Xi, they committed – both presidents committed – to working more closely together on counternarcotics efforts.  I traveled to Beijing in January to begin that effort.  We met again in Vienna to begin that effort.  Both in Vienna, our delegation was led by DHS Secretary Mayorkas.  We believe that the PRC is beginning to work more closely on notifying those – companies based in the PRC of these increased efforts to monitor the production of precursor chemicals going around the world, but particularly going to Mexico, and to warn those companies that there will be increased measures to distribute these chemicals.  

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    China and indirect subsidy on illicit narcotics

    We have no evidence that the Government of the PRC is deliberately directing the shipment of illicit drugs into the United States, and in fact we know back in 2019, when asked to – when we asked the PRC to stop shipments of fentanyl directly to the United States, they did that.  So that was a sign of their willingness to work with us on this issue.   

    We also know that PRC-based companies are the largest source of precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit fentanyl that affects the United States.  That’s why we’ve been so focused on pressing the PRC to address this significant problem.  That’s the importance of this – the regeneration of this counter-narcotic working group, and we will continue to engage with the PRC on this very important issue.  

    State Department and the Albanian Government

    Well, number one, drug trafficking is an issue.  It’s something that affect all countries around the world.  And as Secretary Blinken has said often, no one country can address this issue alone.  We are working very closely with our Albanian partners to go after the narcotic trafficking networks that are working out of Albania.  We had great cooperation; we hope to continue to have great cooperation.  And as long as we do, we will continue to work with them not only in Albania, but as these networks affect other countries in regions around the world, we’ll continue to work with them there.  

    Seizures of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border

     I’m probably going to have to get back to you on specific numbers.  But I will say that my colleagues at the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration continue to seize large quantities of fentanyl at our southwest border, and that’s why we continue to work so closely with our partners in Mexico to go after these networks.  

    Last word

     The United States, as the Secretary has said, is really – has been a canary in the coal mine in terms of the devastating effects the synthetic drugs have had on communities all across America.  The reason he started the global coalition (inaudible) back in 2023 was to warn other countries what might – what could happen if they don’t bet on this issue early, and also to let them know that the United States is here to help.  And I think the reaction to the establishment of this global coalition, which started from zero and now has over 150 countries, is a sign that the international community has heeded our call and wants to work very closely with us on addressing these concerns.  

  • Another look at calls for state of emergency on illicit drugs

    Another look at calls for state of emergency on illicit drugs

    SIR: It was a piece of great news last week when the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control (IMC) declared that it is making progress in achieving the targets outlined in the fourth National Drug Control Plan, otherwise known as the National Drug Control Master Plan, NDCMP 2021-2025.

    The pronouncement was made by the chairman of the IMC, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), who is also the chairman/chief executive, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). But in the same breath, the IMC called for a declaration of a state of emergency on drug abuse in Nigeria.

    Coming from such a body, the call for a state of emergency is weighty and shouldn’t be taken lightly because the IMC is a body that comprises NDLEA, NAFDAC, NACA, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, the Military, Customs and other MDAs. The call, therefore, is a collective concern that acknowledges the severity of the drug abuse situation in the country.

    Concerned citizens will realise that the call for a state of emergency didn’t come out of nowhere. It has been resonating for some time now. Late in 2023, the same call was made in the senate during plenary by Senator Ibrahim Dankwabbo, who, in his capacity as chairman of the Senate Committee on Narcotics and Drugs, said the situation has reached a point where they are considering holding an emergency summit.

    In February, the Governors Spouses Forum made a definitive statement, calling on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on drug abuse in the country.

    Indeed, the calls are in reaction to the disturbing trends in society. As far back as 2018 when the National Health and Drug Use Survey was conducted and its findings made public, Nigerians knew that they had a dire drug situation.

    The fact that the country’s drug use prevalence―which is the rate at which citizens abuse illicit substances―is 14.4%, almost three times the global average of 5.6%, is cause for concern. Now, the red flag has been waving in our faces for six years, and the sooner we acknowledge that drug abuse is a big problem, the better it will be for the country.

    This is not to say, however, that NDLEA has not been doing what it ought to do. Far from it. Indeed, the agency has been doing its best, and it shows in the record number of traffickers arrested and convicted and the quantity of illicit drugs seized and destroyed. The truth, however, is, that the drug abuse situation in the country requires the government at all levels to double their present effort by 300% if the country were to stamp out the drug scourge.

    Read Also: Declare emergency on illicit drugs

    The NDLEA will also need to be further empowered and its resources magnified to cope with the magnitude of work on ground. But this is not possible unless the government and people in society first agree that the severity of the situation warrants the allocation of more scarce funds to battle this menace.

    Declaring a state of emergency would permit expanding resources, maximising targeted subventions and deploying coordinated action across the various strata of society to combat the abuse and trafficking of illicit drugs.

    We should not forget that a comprehensive approach to stamping out illicit drugs in society, as recommended by UNODC, goes beyond the arrest of traffickers and the destruction of seized drugs. A country’s drug control measures also include prevention, education, treatment, rehabilitation, and a spectrum of support programmes for people battling addiction.

     What this means is that Nigeria’s effort so far has been merely scratching the surface. In the meantime, the problem has become colossal. With the declaration of a state of emergency, urgency will be attached to tackling the problem, and it will be easier to mobilise the resources, political will and social goodwill required to overcome the drug scourge.

    • Neta Nwaedozie, Nise, Anambra state