Customs, NAFDAC, Police, others collaborate in war against the importation of Tramadol

Joy Anyim

The proliferation and abuse of controlled, fake and unregistered drugs has remained a bane of the society.

While security experts have attributed the rising cases of crime and criminality to these drugs, medical experts have also drawn attention to the life-threatening consequences of indulging in such drugs.

According to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on a 2018 survey on drug use, in Nigeria, released in January 2019, 14.3 million Nigerians use various forms of hard drugs, excluding alcohol and  tobacco related products.

While cannabis top the list of preference for abusers, pharmaceutical products, such as Tramadol and Codeine followed.

It was, however, prior to this report  that the National Agency for Food and  Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had in 2018, banned the importation, sales and use of Tramadol above 100mg.

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The agency had also ordered that pharmacists must sell the accepted milligramme based on doctor’s prescription.

Codeine was also not left out, as a report by an international media on the substance abuse in Nigeria triggered the ban of codeine cough syrups in the country. However, there seemed to be a conscientious effort to sabotage government’s effort.

In 2018, the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Seme Border Command, Apapa Port and Tin Can Port commands of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), intercepted over 50 containers of Tramadol 200mg and above, imported into the country. Even in the last six months, various commands of NCS have made seizures of more containers of Tramadol.

Tramadol as an addictive

Tramadol is a potent opioid analgesic, that is a painkiller. It is considered one of the very safe and effective painkillers, as many medical doctors  will often turn to it in the treatment of severe pains in patients or surgeries.

Using it without prescription or taking it in higher dose, more often or for longer than prescribed are all considered abuse of this drug. Similarly, combining Tramadol with other substances to increase its effects is also a form of abuse.

Some side effects of using Tramadol are: Nausea, change in appetite, slurred speech, headache, impaired coordination, seizure and, it could also be fatal.

Addicts say it gives them this numbness from pain, extreme alertness and heightened sense of forgetting everything that does not matter. Abusers feel on top of the world when high on Tramadol.

However, over the years, the abuse of the drug has resulted in the need to regulate and control its use. It is no longer an over-the-counter medication (though some drug stores still have their way around it). Countries of the world have put a restriction on the acceptable milligramme and the sales based on doctor’s prescription.

NCS, NAFDAC partner in the fight against the importation of Tramadol

Not deterred by the unpatriotic activities of the importers of Tramadol and other fake, controlled and substandard drugs, the Nigeria Customs Service had recently partnered with NAFDAC to form a Joint Committee on Destruction of Seized Drugs, with specific attention on Tramadol consignments.

The committee chaired by the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (ACG), Aminu Dahiru, had amongst other responsibilities, to the investigate and destroy seized Tramadol consignments across the nation. The committee commenced its assignment recently at the Oke-Diya Dumpsite, Shagamu, Ogun State.

At the exercise where containers of Tramadol worth over N14.7 billion were destroyed, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) regretted the fact that such amount of money that would have been used to better the lives of Nigerians was invested in an illicit venture.

Ali,  who was represented by the ACG/Zonal Coordinator of Zone ‘A’, Kaycee Ekekezie, said,  “I stand here with mixed feelings for the destruction of seized drugs (Tramadol and other pharmaceutical products) to be performed jointly by NCS and NAFDAC. It will interest you to know that Enforcement and Drugs Control was and is still a department in the Nigeria Customs Services  and NAFDAC was carved out of the department, hence, synergy and cooperation between the two sister agencies have come a long way.

“I congratulate the members of this committee for the commitment and diligence shown while carrying out this national assignment, which is considered a great service to the nation and humanity. The seized items to be destroyed today were intercepted at various customs formations across zone ‘A’. I feel sad because money that could have been used to better the lives of the citizenry, is going down the drain.

“ The magnitude of damage such drugs could have caused in our society could be imagined . Therefore, it is imperative that such importation should be totally discouraged and stopped henceforth.”

Similarly, the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said that the health implication of the proliferation of Tramadol and other such drugs cannot be monetarily  quantified.

Represented by the Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, Monica Eimunieze, Adeyeye said the agency would not be deterred in the fight against illicit drugs.

She said: “We cannot put a cost to life and the impact on society when such drugs are abused. We stand ready at NAFDAC; we will not be deterred, we will protect Nigerians. The issue of Tramadol has evolved over the years. Tramadol has a place within medicine but in that same regard, we have put some limits within our jurisdiction, which needs to be recognised and appreciated. The rational use of medicine is very critical and it is something we want to make sure that people really understand.

“ At very high doses and when abused, the impart of this drug on society is far reaching. So 50mg and 100mg is what is acceptably recognised in Nigeria and anything outside of that is not allowed or acceptable within our jurisdiction. Hence, this particular committee has a specific mandate on Tramadol.”

Committee Chairman speaks on cartel, threats

ACG Dahiru in his comments said the exercise was beyond state or national duty, but a service to humanity. He said the destruction exercise was an epoch making event that signals the beginning of a new era.

Speaking on how financial institutions can also partner with relevant government agencies to put an end to the importation of such harmful and controlled drugs, he insisted that banks should know their customers.

Dahiru further revealed: “This type of business is syndicated. You hardly come across one individual that is in it alone because it goes beyond our borders. You can imagine a country like India producing a milligramme that is not allowed by international law, but gets it  made for a country. So, our businessmen and women go there, give them specification and they don’t care. Even if you investigate for years, you will hardly come across one who is behind the importation. At most you will get an agent who will never disclose the identity of the importer even in death. That is the reason we are destroying this drugs to avoid contributory negligence.”

Highlighting the significance of the destruction exercise, the committee chairman said it was in line with government’s desire to rid the country of fake and  substandard drugs.

He said: “This is yet another milestone in the history of NCS in its effort to deliver on its mandate of reducing smuggling to the barest minimum as well as contribution to free the country from fake, substandard, unregistered and abuse of controlled drugs.

”The seizure of these drugs have in no small way prevented the occasion of many kind of social vices such as kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and other associated crimes we are facing today. One can only imagine the effects and harm these drugs would have caused if it had sneaked into the society. A total of 58 containers of Tramadol and other dangerous and unregistered pharmaceuticals with a duty paid value of N14,706,032,871 were seized by various commands of NCS.”

Dahiru also hinted that some officials of NCS were killed while others had received death threats, following their refusal to compromise on the given mandate.

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Comptroller FOU, Ikeja, reveals threat to his life

Giving credence to the claim of the chairman, the Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’  Ikeja, Comptroller Mohammed Aliyu, said, he was sent a death threat.

Aliyu, who shared how he rejected N50 million bribe maintained that he is ready to lay down his life to ensure that smugglers and other economic saboteurs do not succeed,

He said: “I was threatened about this drugs but that will not stop me from arresting them. Most of the seizures were from FOU and the ports in Lagos,  I sacrifice my life for Nigerians and I know that they cannot do anything to me. Only God can take someone’s life. Therefore, I will do my best such that whenever  they come, I will not compromise, we will arrest them.

“I was bribed with N50 million. If I had wanted, I would have collected the money, but I did not, I received the money, arrested those involved and handed them over to the authorities. So, there is nothing like leakage; we are ready to  do our work with sincerity to save the nation.”

 

Sister agencies pledge their support

Relevant agencies have also pledged their support for the fight against the proliferation of Tramadol and other illicit drugs.

Representative of the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Police Command, Bukar Junaid, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said the police authority would be ready for any invitation to work with the committee.

Junaid said: “In the course of our normal police arrest, we arrest criminals and we have discovered through thorough investigation that many of these criminals find it difficult to go out and perpetrate their nefarious activity if they have not taken these dangerous drugs, especially Tramadol. The destruction of the drugs is actually the destruction of the enemies of Nigeria. We stand committed to support this whenever we are called upon.”

On the part of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency( NESREA), which was represented by the Director, Lagos Liaison Office, Ayuba Jacob, said the agency would collaborate with other regulatory agencies on the best way to destroy the drugs so that it does not destroy the environment.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was not left out in the pledge to support.  Mrs. Charity Nwagbara, who represented the agency  said youth restiveness was caused by the use of these drugs. Therefore, she implored all the relevant agencies to key into the synergy to sanitise the country of these drugs that affect the body.

Representative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ajiboye Olurotimi, encouraged smugglers and importers to desist from and involve themselves in productive investment that will benefit the society not on activities that will destroy the youths and the future of the country.

Ogun State battle ready

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, said if drugs like Tramadol were allowed unchecked, it would jeopardise the future of the nation.

The governor was represented by the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Fafiolu Olufemi. He said the government had embarked on a massive sensitisation of youths in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.