The Federal Government has called for a well-coordinated international
\ncooperation to tackle the links between drug trafficking and all forms
\nof organised crime, like terrorism.<\/p>\n
The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) retired Brig.
\nGen. Buba Marwa said this at the ongoing 64th session of the Commission
\non Narcotic Drugs, (CND), holding in Vienna, Austria.<\/p>\n
In a statement by the agency\u2019s Director Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi
\nBabafemi, on Monday, in Abuja, Marwa presented this as one of Nigeria\u2019s
\ndemands to a global audience.<\/p>\n
According to him, Nigeria would welcome robust international
\ncooperation, to address the links between drug trafficking and
\nterrorism, illicit financial flows, smuggling of migrants and other
\nforms of organised crime.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe underscore the importance of technical assistance by United Nations
\non Drug and Crime (UNODC), which has greatly assisted practitioners of
\nbeneficiary countries.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd this positively impacted on global efforts to counter and address
\nthe world drug problem, and we urge for their continuation, \u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Marwa explained that Nigeria had continued to adapt her drug control
\npolicies and strategies to respond to emerging and evolving realities.<\/p>\n
The NDLEA boss lamented that despite the implementation of the framework
\nand strategic Action Plan, trafficking and abuse of controlled
\nsubstances had persisted.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst, the cultivation and high traffic of cannabis and its abuse has
\nbeen on the increase. Our National Drug Use Survey, 2019, revealed that
\nover 10 million persons abused cannabis in one year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a similar pattern, the 2019 and 2020 World Drug Reports identified
\ncannabis as the most abused substance with its threat to security,
\nhealth and wellbeing of the global population.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecond, the trafficking and non-medical use of synthetic and
\npharmaceutical opioids, especially Tramadol, remains a challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is in spite of our domestic control efforts, as well as two
\ntripartite meetings, facilitated by UNODC, involving Nigeria, Ghana and
\nIndia, held in New Delhi and Lagos in 2019, to address the Tramadol
\ncrisis,\u201d he said<\/p>\n
Marwa reiterated that legalisation of the illicit use of cannabis was a
\nviolation of the Drug Control Treaties, while highlighting the urgent
\nneed for change in the control measures for Tramadol and other
\npharmaceuticals.
\nHe added that Nigeria had decentralised the storage of finished narcotic
\ndrugs to ensure their access, availability and affordability for medical
\nand scientific use.<\/p>\n
As a result, he added, NDLEA, was now able to optimise data collection
\nand improve statutory submission of annual requirements to the
\nInternational Narcotics Control Board (INCB) .<\/p>\n
\u201dThis is with the launch, in 2020, of the national
\nquantification\/estimation survey, conducted in 2017 and 2019
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are also on course to start local manufacturing of narcotic
\nmedicines from two WHO-prequalified pharmaceutical manufacturers, to
\nensure availability and meet national needs, \u201d he said. (NAN).<\/p>\n
The Federal Government has called for a well-coordinated international cooperation to tackle the links between drug trafficking and all forms of organised crime, like terrorism. The Chairman, National Drug Law…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":79639,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-79638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n