By Enyichukwu Enemanna
United Nations Office on Dugs and Crime (UNODC) has named Nigeria and Morocco as topping the list of cocaine smuggling countries in Africa, its recent report on crossboader cocaine trafficking has indicated.
There has also been a rapid increase in the demand and the supply of the hard drugs in many countries of the world, the report released on Thursday further reveals.
The global report fingered Nigerians for active involvement in mid-level and dealer trafficking than large-scale trafficking.
It also says Nigerian traffickers form a great network as they work in collaboration with their compatriots in other countries, particularly members of cult group in Europe and South American country, Brasil.
UNODC’s Executive Director, Ghada Waly in the report, says the potential for the cocaine market to expand in Africa is a dangerous reality, appealing to governments to thoroughly examine the report’s findings and map out strategies towards fighting the menace.
“Based on aggregate reporting to UNODC, by Nigeria and other countries, on the main cocaine trafficking routes during 2018-2021, trafficking of cocaine was reported from Nigeria to 20 countries or territories, including countries within the subregion (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Liberia), transit countries in Africa (Algeria, Ethiopia, Morocco), and countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region (Australia, China, Hong Kong, China, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka), in the Near and Middle East/ South-West Asia (Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates) and in Europe (Turkye, United Kingdom).
“Cocaine arrives in Nigeria via a variety of channels including bulk carrier vessels arriving at seaports such as Apapa, Tincan Island, and Onne: passenger flights into airports such as those of Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, and Kano: across land borders at various locations, including Seme (on the border with Benin) and llela (on the border with Niger); and via parcels delivered by courier companies or postal services.
“The most prominent departure country for cocaine reaching Nigeria is Brazil. Thus, despite the established and well-connected presence of Nigerian traffickers within an international network of actors and counterparts trafficking cocaine (and other drugs), notably with regard to trafficking by air, in view of the available seizure data, it is plausible that the volume of cocaine transiting Nigerian territory is a relatively modest share of the quantities reaching West and Central Africa.
“It should, however, be borne in mind that Nigerian traffickers are also active in neighbouring countries as well as North Africa.”
