UN Security Council Raises Concern Over Drug Abuse In Nigeria

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UN Security Council Raises Concern Over Drug Abuse In Nigeria

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says Nigeria,
and West and Central Africa face “disruptive and destabilising” new
trends regarding drug trafficking, drug use and other crimes.  

The Executive Director of UNODC, Yury Fedotov, said this while
briefing the UN Security Council session, presided by Côte d’Ivoire. The
briefing was the council’s first thematic meeting on ‘Drug Trafficking
and its Threat to Stability, Peace and Security’, since December 2013.  

Fedotov said the UNODC’s 2018 World Drug Report shows that West and
Central Africa, along with North African countries, accounted for 87 per
cent of pharmaceutical opioids seized globally. The UNODC chief said:
“This is largely due to rising use of tramadol, an opioid painkiller
that is widely trafficked for non-medical use in the region”.  

“Africa, along with Asia, also saw the largest rises in cocaine
seizures, suggesting that cocaine trafficking and consumption have
spread to these markets.

Through UNODC AIRCOP, which works in several African airports, we
know that heroin seizures are on the rise across the region with Lagos,
Accra and Cotonou airports high on the list, closely followed by Bamako,
Lomé and Ouagadougou.

Methamphetamine seizures have now almost reached the same level as
cocaine seizures, with Lagos and Cotonou being the main airports
concerned. Recently, an increased number of seizures of precursors such
as Ephedrine and Phenacetine has been recorded at both airports, which
may indicate the existence of new laboratories producing psychoactive
substances.’’  

The head of UNODC noted increasing transiting of opiates through West Africa en route to European and North American markets. “UNODC
is registering new alarming trends on drug trafficking in West and
Central Africa with disruptive and destabilising effects on governance,
security, economic growth and public health,”
he said.  

Drug use is also rising across the region, “representing a serious
threat to public health,” according to the UN crime fighting chief.
Fedotov noted that the agency estimated that in 2016, there were more
than 34 million cannabis users and 1.8 million cocaine users in West and
Central Africa. Only one in 18 drug users with addiction issues have
access to medical treatment, Fedotov regretted.  

At the same time, he said, the region is grappling with many other
crime-related security threats, including arms trafficking, money
laundering, human trafficking, cybercrime and maritime piracy as well as
threats posed by terrorism.

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