INCB Assesses Nigeria’s Anti-Drug War

A delegation from the International Narcotic Control Board, INCB, Vienna, Austria, is in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, to assess drug control strategies in Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said on Tuesday.

“Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency, Ahmadu Giade, while receiving the INCB delegation headed by Dr Galina Korchagina, Vice President of the Board stated that the visit will strengthen the good working relationship between both Agencies,” NDLEA said in a statement.

The agency quoted Dr. Galina as saying: “INCB ensues that adequate drug supplies are available for medical and scientific uses and that leakages from licit sources to illicit traffic do not occur. Nigeria is a crucial country in drug control in the West Africa sub-region and INCB is willing to collaborate with your country in drug control”.

According to the NDLEA Chairman, “the visit provides an interactive forum for INCB and NDLEA to appraise Nigeria’s position in the control of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. This covers Nigeria’s efforts in the regulation of precursors, suppression of demand for drugs as well as progress recorded in the areas of supply reduction, research, treatment and rehabilitation”.

Areas of mutual interest include the country’s efforts at strengthening or updating legislation and policy on drug control, administrative and institutional framework, compliance with treaty-based reporting and other drug preventive efforts.

The NDLEA boss said Nigeria has recorded steady and commendable progress in drug control over the years, and is working hard to sustain or even surpass its record.

The delegation is expected to visit some of the NDLEA’s formation to have first-hand information in assessing the country’s current position.

It will also visit National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) that regulates licit drug supplies.

The last time an INCB Delegation visited the country on a similar mission was in 1997.

By Simon Ateba/Aviation correspondent