NDLEA decries upsurge in Tramadol seizure

…Many youths dying of drug overdose, says NAFDAC
The Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) commander at the Lagos Airport, Ahmadu Garba, has observed that there is an increase in the influx of Tramadol into Nigeria, a situation that is creating a very serious problem in the country.

Ahmadu said the agency has recorded an upsurge in the quantity of Tramadol seizure and arrest since 2017, a development, he said, was unprecedented in the last ten years in terms of quantity.

Ahmadu, who revealed this on Monday in an event to mark the “United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking” in Lagos, advised that it is high time all and sundry stood up and see what they can do to make sure Nigerians see to the end of drug abuse in the country.

The Commander emphasised that the quantity of Tramadol coming into the country is of high volume because traffickers are bringing a lot of it, apart from other drugs, adding that there are also several upsurge of outward trafficking of Methamphetamine and Ephedrine.

Tramadol is an opioid pain medication used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. When taken as an immediate-release oral formulation, the onset of pain relief usually occurs within about an hour.

Apart from its pain relieving effects, tramadol has been discovered to give a feeling of euphoric high when taken in large quantity. When opioids like tramadol are mixed with alcohol, it increases the effects of the alcohol.

Recently, a man in his mid-20’s reportedly died in Otukpo, Benue State, after consuming an overdose of tramadol.

Ahmadu said because of the vigilance of NDLEA at the Lagos Airport, a lot of departures from Nigeria divert to other West African countries, whenever they are coming back to the country.

He said: “If you look at manifest so far, you see a lot of departures from Nigeria but somehow, when they are coming back, you see them diverting to most West African countries.

There is an upsurge in the quantity of drug seizure because if you look at what we have been able to arrest in 2017 it is a kind of unprecedented in the last 10 years in terms of quantity.

Again, if you look at this year now, we have almost tripled what we have been able to do and what is surprising about this thing is the quantity of Tramadol coming into the country.

“The volume is much because they are bringing a lot of it, apart from other drugs. There are several upsurge too of either inward or outward trafficking, mostly outward trafficking of Methamphetamine and Ephedrine.

These are things that are very clear and there is a growing increase in trafficking of Methamphetamine, Ephedrine and Tramadol”, he added.

Meanwhile, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has expressed concern over the high rate of consumption and sale of tramadol in the country, blaming the worrisome development on the porous nature of Nigerian borders which enable people smuggle them into the country in large quantities.

Speaking on the issue during public launch of drug related health policies and guidelines in Abuja, Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, disclosed that many youths were dying of drug overdose including Tramadol because it was very easy for them to access addictive drugs.

“Using drugs is centrally controlled or central nervous system-based which means it hits the brain immediately and it changes the user to somebody else. During the first use and second use, the brain of the user becomes very different because of dependence.

“They are no longer able to control themselves and that is where the crime, terrorism come in. Therefore, please let the word go out that drug use comes with consequences.

“Of course, we are going after the peddlers. As we speak, we just intercepted two lorries full of tramadol. And where are they going? They are going to the Ajegunles of Nigeria, to the Kanos of Nigeria. Who are they targeting? Our children. Therefore, we need to all come in. It’s our business, “she said.

The NAFDAC boss called on the National Assembly to amend the law such that drug peddlers could be given stiffer penalties.

On the mode of seizures, Ahmadu said: “Most of the seizures are not really abandoned seizures. But a few of them are. One of the largest seizure – that of Tramadol is an abandoned one.

But almost all the seizures have people attached to them. It is either, even if it is not arrest made at the initial stage, we do follow up and at the end of the day we are able to get those responsible for it. Even this Tramadol seizure is not like we have relaxed. We are still working on it.

We are trying to see how we are going to trace the person that import them. In almost all the places, there are people who have been arrested for those seizures and in a few cases where there are no people arrested, after follow up investigations, we are able to get this people. I think the success rate of follow up in the command so far has been very encouraging”.

Advising that everybody has a quota to contribute to make sure Nigeria see to the end of drug abuse in this country, the NDLEA boss pointed out that although the Joint Border Task Force project has provided some vehicles to them, they still have issues in the areas of manpower and adequate funding.

Stating that NDLEA has robust relationship with their collaborators, Ahmadu commended the efforts of the partners in the areas of local and oversea trainings which he said have yielded positive results by way of number of seizures. Our relations is cordial.

Speaking further on the “United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking”, Ahmadu noted that the theme of this year is “Listen First” which entails that “Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe”.

He said: “The theme of the year is Listen First. It is important for parents to listen to drug users. Counsellors, first have to know why the children go into drug.

They don’t demonise the habit but create an impression so that they can be able solve the problem. What drug addicts need is help. For you it is important to know how they started; so that even if they are rehabilitated, they would not go back. This is why you have to know why they started taking drugs in the first place”.

“You also have to know if it is peer pressure or other causes. Sometimes, one of the causes of going into drug is parental drug use in the house.

If you drink a lot of beer and come back drunk; or you fight too much with your wife and everyday he gets angry. So we as parents too have to listen to the children”, he added.