Abuja: The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India have agreed to intensify their efforts in the fight against the shipment of illicit drugs between the two countries. This collaboration is particularly focused on curbing the illegal flow of opioids, such as tramadol and codeine-based syrup, from India to Nigeria.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, the agreement was reached during a virtual meeting between NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, and the Director General of NCB, Mr. Anurag Garg, in Abuja. Marwa noted the threat posed to public health and security by illicit drugs in both Nigeria and India and emphasized the need to strengthen the existing partnership based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two agencies in 2023.

Marwa highlighted the illicit importation of tramadol and codeine cough syrup into Nigeria from India as a primary concern. He disclosed that over the past 18 months, NDLEA seized more than one billion opioid pills, mainly tramadol, and over 14.4 million bottles of codeine syrup. Marwa stressed the need for collaboration with India’s NCB to tackle this issue and requested assistance in specialized training for NDLEA officers.

In response, NCB’s Director General, Garg, acknowledged the importance of strengthening the partnership, as the drug problem transcends international borders. He assured NDLEA of their readiness to share knowledge, intelligence, and experience in various areas of interest, noting that transnational syndicates involved in drug shipments respect no borders or national laws.

Garg also expressed willingness to assist in capacity building, offering the use of the NCB’s training center for NDLEA officers. He highlighted the possibility of creating a curated training program tailored to NDLEA’s needs, covering subjects like clandestine labs, precursors, darknet monitoring, and investigating darknet vendors.

The meeting, which included top officials from both anti-narcotics agencies, underscored the commitment of NDLEA and NCB to collaborate and address the challenges posed by transnational drug syndicates.