The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Nigeria and India’s Narcotics Control Bureau have pledged to intensify their collaboration in curbing the trafficking of opioids, particularly tramadol and codeine-based syrup, into Nigeria.
This renewed partnership was the highlight of a virtual meeting held on Wednesday between NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, and NCB Director-General, Anurag Garg.
Marwa expressed grave concern over the continued influx of illicit pharmaceutical opioids from India into Nigeria, stressing the damage they cause to public health and security.
He revealed that over one billion pills of tramadol and 14.4 million bottles of codeine syrup were confiscated in Nigeria between January 2024 and June 2025.
“This level of seizure underscores the scale of the threat we’re dealing with,” Marwa stated. “We urgently need the support and cooperation of the NCB to dismantle the networks behind these illegal shipments.”
Marwa also requested India’s assistance in enhancing the capacity of NDLEA officers through specialised training in drug-related investigations, cybercrime, and financial tracking.
“We are particularly interested in learning from your experience in areas such as analysis, dark web investigations, and tracking of precursor chemicals,” he added.
Responding to these concerns, NCB’s Anurag Garg affirmed the agency’s commitment to working closely with Nigeria, citing the transnational nature of the drug trade as a major challenge that necessitates international cooperation.
“These criminal networks do not respect borders. Therefore, it is only through joint efforts like this that we can effectively disrupt their operations,” Garg said. “We are open to sharing intelligence, expertise, and resources with the NDLEA.”
He further offered access to NCB’s training facilities for Nigerian officers, proposing tailored programmes on clandestine laboratory operations, precursor control, and darknet surveillance.
“We’ll be happy to facilitate bespoke training programmes that align with your operational needs,” Garg added.
