The Kano/Jigawa command of the Nigeria Customs Service has handed over 491,000 seized tramadol hydrochloride tablets valued at over ₦150 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Kano.

The consignment of the restricted opioid, intercepted along the Gumel-Birniwa axis in Jigawa, was concealed in a dark-tinted Lexus 450 SUV and smuggled into the country during night hours.

Speaking during the handover in Kano on Monday, the area comptroller of the command, Dalhatu Abubakar, said the seizure followed an intelligence report and demonstrates the command’s resolve to stem the tide of illicit drug trafficking.

“This seizure underscores our determination to rid society of harmful drugs.

“The smugglers, transporters, and manufacturers are not the end-users. We must ask, Who are these drugs meant for?” he said.

He expressed concern over the societal impact of drug abuse, citing links to crime, violence, financial instability, homelessness, and adverse health effects such as weakened immune systems and psychological dependency.

The comptroller urged religious and traditional leaders, civil society groups, government institutions, and the media to intensify awareness and advocacy campaigns against drug abuse.

Mr Abubakar also highlighted gender-related dimensions of the crisis, noting that one in every four drug users in Nigeria is a woman, a trend he described as alarming due to the central role women play in the family and society.

Quoting data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), he said Nigeria’s estimated population of 236.8 million makes it the sixth most populous country globally, with about three million drug users in the North-West zone alone.

Receiving the seized items, NAFDAC state coordinator in Kano, Kasim Idrissa, commended the Customs Service for its vigilance and collaborative efforts.

Mr Idrissa reiterated the agency’s readiness to strengthen inter-agency cooperation in tackling the drug menace.

The state coordinator urged the public to support the efforts of regulatory and enforcement agencies by providing useful information on suspicious activities.

He added that a date would soon be fixed for the destruction of the intercepted drugs in line with regulatory procedures. 

(NAN)