The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of Nigeria and India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have agreed to deepen cooperation in curbing the trafficking of illicit opioids, particularly tramadol and codeine-based syrup, into Nigeria from India.
This development followed a high-level virtual meeting between the Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and the Director-General of the NCB, Mr. Anurag Garg, held on Wednesday.
In a statement issued by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the agency highlighted its concerns over the growing volume of illegal pharmaceutical shipments and the need for joint action to dismantle transnational drug syndicates.
Marwa disclosed that Nigeria had, in just 18 months (from January 2024 to June 2025), seized over one billion pills of tramadol and more than 14.4 million bottles of codeine syrup—mostly smuggled in from India.
“This illicit importation is a direct threat to our public health and national security,” Marwa said. “We need stronger collaboration under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2023 to address this crisis. We’re requesting not only intelligence sharing but also assistance in capacity building.”
He appealed for India’s support in providing specialised training for NDLEA personnel in areas such as cyber investigations, financial intelligence, dark web surveillance, and precursor chemical tracking.
Responding, the NCB Director-General, Anurag Garg, expressed full commitment to the partnership, stressing that drug trafficking has become a borderless criminal enterprise.
“Transnational syndicates are behind these illicit shipments. They exploit gaps in enforcement, and that’s why no single agency or country can fight this battle alone,” Garg said.
He pledged NCB’s readiness to provide intelligence, operational support, and tailored training for Nigerian officers. He noted that India has facilities available to host NDLEA operatives for hands-on instruction in tackling sophisticated drug crimes, including monitoring darknet activities and dismantling clandestine laboratories.
“We are happy to share knowledge and create customised programmes to meet your needs,” Garg added.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from both countries’ anti-narcotics agencies and is seen as a significant step in enhancing cross-border drug enforcement cooperation.
