Nigeria, India Sign MoU to combat drug trafficking

Nigeria and India’s anti-narcotic agencies have signed a memorandum of understanding to block the pipeline of illicit drug flow.

Femi Babafemi, spokesperson of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), described the MoU as “historic” in a statement on Wednesday.

“Tough time awaits traffickers of illicit drugs between Nigeria and India with a historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and the Narcotics Control Bureau of India in Abuja on Wednesday 14th June 2023,” the statement reads.

“Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), who signed the MoU on behalf of Nigeria’s premier anti-narcotics Agency said the move represents a robust partnership in the effort to exterminate incidences of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the two countries.”

The partnership, Mr Marwa said, will significantly impact efforts to prevent “illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, precursor chemicals, and related matters” between the two countries.

According to the agency’s boss, “This bold step taken by the two agencies is an affirmation of our foresight and commitment to the task of ensuring the safety of our citizens and the global community at large. Today’s development constitutes a fundamental step towards positioning the two countries, India and Nigeria, at the forefront of confronting and dismantling transnational drug trafficking networks with brazen capabilities of outmanoeuvring legitimate drug law enforcement.

“With our understanding of the changing dynamics of the illicit drug problems, locally and globally, every major organisation around the world working assiduously to curb the menace knows that working with partners greatly helps in addressing the trafficking and abuse of narcotic and psychotropic substances.”

He reiterated that the governments of both countries remain committed to eradicating the problem posed by illicit substances, notably synthetic opioids and Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS), which pose a potent threat to its citizens.

In his remarks, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria and Head of the Indian delegation, Shri Balasubramanian, who signed on behalf of his country, said drug trafficking has an enormous negative impact on global financial and political systems, adding that proceeds of drug trafficking are often directed towards terrorism financing.

The Indian envoy observed that drug trafficking does not only affect the health of the individual that consumes it but equally the economy of the country as well as national security.