Report by ABDULLAHI JALALUDDEEN; Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
The Nigeria Customs Service, Kano/Jigawa Area Command, has handed over 491,000 tablets of Tramadol hydrochloride, popularly known as Tarmol brand, USP 225 milligram, to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) with duty-paid value of N150,360,179.
The Controller of Nigeria Customs, Kano/Jigawa Command, Dalhatu Abubakar, said the drugs were intercepted along the borderline of Gumel-Birniwa axis in Jigawa State following an intelligence report.
He said the drugs were concealed and smuggled into the country using a dark-tinted SUV Lexus 450 designed to avoid suspicion in the wee hours of the night.
Abubakar said the seizure is a testament to the command’s commitment to eradicating illicit drugs from the society.
He noted that the producers and manufacturers of the drugs are not the consumers, and the shippers and transporters are also not the consumers, raising questions about who the end-users of the drugs are.
The Controller highlighted the consequences of drug abuse on society, including crime, violence, financial problems, and homelessness.
He also noted that the consequences of illicit drugs on public health may include high cases of weakened immune systems, increased risk of illness, and psychological dependence.
Abubakar called on religious and traditional institutions, government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and media houses to rise up against the menace of drug abuse in the society.
He noted that one in every four drug users in Nigeria is a woman, creating serious concern given the significance and position of women in the society.
“According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Nigeria’s current population is estimated to be around 236.8 million people, making it the sixth most populous country in the world.
“The estimated number of drug users in the northwest region of Nigeria is about 3 million, with cannabis, opioids, and amphetamines being examples of the drugs,” he explained.
Speaking while receiving the seized illicit drugs, the NAFDAC Coordinator in Kano, Kasim Idrissa Ibrahim commended the efforts of the Nigeria custom service for apprehending the illicit drugs and reiterates the commitment of NAFDAC in ensuring more synergy with sister agencies to achieved the set objectives.
He maintained that his agency will soon fix a date when such illicit drugs will be destroyed.
