The number of illicit drugs seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) stood at a whopping 309,713kg in 2017 with cannabis and Tramadol accounting for over 90 percent, a report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on drug seizures and arrest statistics shows.
Cannabis, popularly known as Indian hemp, had a larger chunk of the total drugs seized by the NDLEA to the tune of 191,353kg, representing about 61.8 percent of the total drugs seized. This compares to the more than 4 tonnes (4,000kg) cannabis herb seized in 2016, according to the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB), a United Nations body for the execution of international drug control conventions.
Next was tramadol accounting for 31 percent (96,136kg) of the total drugs seized.
Other drugs which collectively accounted for 7.3 percent of the total drugs seized in the period under review included cough syrup with codeine (9,772.6kg), cocaine (92.4kg), heroin (85.44kg), benzodiazepine (1,783.4kg), methamphetamine (782.5kg), ephed (168.9kg), opiods (221.4kg), opiates (1.36kg), barbiturate (1.34kg), and others (9,313.46kg).
The NDLEA, according to INCB’s report released earlier in 2018, noted that between November 2016 and November 2017, the total number of methamphetamine seized was 40kg.
Edo State (45,338kg) recorded the highest number of drugs seized. This was closely followed by Ondo, Kano and Plateau States which had 32,729kg, 18,654.5kg and 17,674.7kg of drugs seizure, respectively.
Zamfara (87.2kg), Ebonyi (196kg) and Bayelsa States (253kg) had the lowest drugs seizure in the period under review.
A total of 10,290 persons were arrested in an attempt to rid the country of perpetrators of the illicit drugs.
“10,290 arrests were made in 2017. 9,626 were male while 664 were female. 1,605,” the report revealed.
While Katsina (732 persons), Jigawa (646 persons) and Kano States (635 persons) had the highest number of arrests, Nasarawa (58 persons), Ekiti (84 persons), Gombe (94 persons) and Imo States (94 persons) had the lowest number of arrests.
A breakdown of the number of drugs seized at the different entry points into the country indicates that Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos recorded the highest total drug seizure of 1,266.4kg. Others are Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (32.3kg), Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano (36.3kg), Port Harcourt International Airport, Port-Harcourt (3.6kg), and Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu (60.7kg).
Total drugs seizure at the Seme-Lagos border was 17,015kg, while Idiroko-Ogun border recorded 361.7kg.
Seizure at the Tincan Port, Lagos amounted to 4.50kg, Apapa Port, 0.40kg and Port-Harcourt Port recorded 0.32kg.
The problem of drug abuse especially among youths has become a worrisome issue in modern times. Nigeria ranks as one of the countries in the world with the highest rate of drug abuse due to the proliferation of illicit drugs such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine, etc.
It becomes even more of serious concern considering its nexus with youth delinquencies, organized crimes, gangsterism, kidnapping, and other social vices that have acted as a clog in the wheel of progress of the society.
Similarly, prices of pain relievers have increased astronomically over increased demand, especially from youths, who use them without doctor’s prescription.
A recent market survey carried out by BusinessDay in a number of pharmaceutical and drug retail outlets across Lagos showed that prices of some pain relievers have increased 1,000 percent in the last two years.
Most notably, Tramadol, an over the counter pain medication, is now over 1,000 times more expensive, selling for N1,500-N3,000 a pack depending on the location, as against N300 as at 2009. Oxycodone (OxyContin) sells in some of the shops visited for close to N3,000 as against N250 two years ago. Codeine is also around the same range.
KELVIN UMWENI & MICHEAL ANI
