Nigeria and India have renewed their commitment to intensify joint efforts in tackling the transnational trafficking of illicit opioids, including tramadol and codeine-based cough syrups, which continue to pose significant public health and security threats in both countries.
The agreement was reached during a virtual meeting between the Chairman of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and the Director General of India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Mr. Anurag Garg. The meeting also had in attendance senior officials from both agencies.
Speaking during the meeting, Marwa highlighted the alarming volume of opioid seizures in Nigeria over the past 18 months.
“From January 2024 to June this year, we have seized over one billion pills of opioids, mainly tramadol, and more than 14.4 million bottles of codeine syrup,” he revealed. “This is why we need the support and collaboration of the Narcotics Control Bureau of India.”
He emphasized that the illicit importation of opioids from India had been a persistent concern, previously raised during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies in 2023.
Marwa also called for enhanced technical collaboration.
“We would very much appreciate your support on training for our officers—whether it’s cyber training, dark web monitoring, financial investigations, or clandestine lab operations,” he said. “We value India’s expertise in these areas and seek more capacity-building opportunities.”
In response, NCB Director General Anurag Garg affirmed India’s full commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, noting that transnational drug syndicates represent a shared threat.
“These syndicates operate without respect for borders or national laws. Unless we come together, we cannot end this malady,” Garg stated. “We’re ready to share intelligence, knowledge, and training to support your fight.”
Garg also offered to host NDLEA officers at NCB’s training centre in India.
“We can tailor training programmes to your needs—whether it’s on clandestine labs, precursor chemicals, darknet investigations, or tracking online drug vendors,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity to advance this initiative together.”
The meeting marked a pivotal moment in India-Nigeria counter-narcotics cooperation, as both nations confront the global surge in synthetic drug abuse and the exploitation of legal trade routes by criminal syndicates.
With global trafficking networks increasingly sophisticated and tech-driven, both agencies agreed that cross-border collaboration, real-time intelligence sharing, and joint training efforts are essential to combatting the spread of dangerous narcotics and protecting vulnerable populations.