NDLEA raises alarm as South Africans dominate drug trafficking in Nigeria

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised the alarm over the increasing involvement of South Africans  in drug trafficking in Nigeria, alleging that they are facilitating the movement of illicit substances through the country to other parts of the world.

The agency disclosed that three South Africans have so far been arrested with large quantities of heroin, cocaine and synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Loud.

Assistant Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Francis Okogun, made the disclosure at the Joint Security Press Briefing by spokespersons of security, defence and law enforcement agencies in Abuja.

Okogun said the arrests had attracted attention because of the negative impression they could create about Nigeria internationally.

“On the arrest of South African nationals in connection with drug trafficking, it is important to clarify that the issue has attracted attention because of the negative impression it could create about Nigeria internationally.

“Our findings indicate that some foreign nationals are increasingly becoming involved in facilitating the movement of illicit drugs through Nigeria to other parts of the world. Some are also involved in bringing such substances into the country,” he said.

He disclosed that three individuals had been arrested during the period under review, adding that the large quantities of drugs recovered made the arrests particularly significant.

According to him, the suspects are believed to be working on behalf of international drug cartels.

“As you know, drug traffickers rarely volunteer information about their sponsors or the final destinations of their consignments.

“We are therefore conducting painstaking investigations to establish the actual destinations of the drugs and identify the cartels responsible for the shipments,” he said.