Pubdate: Mon, 22 Mar 2004
Source: This Day (Nigeria)
Copyright: 2004 This Day.
Contact:  http://www.thisdayonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2870
Author: Godwin Haruna

FIGHTING NIGERIA'S COUNTER-NARCOTICS WAR

Lagos

The release of the 2003 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report by 
the United States government appears to have been misunderstood by some 
Nigerians, who erroneously felt the country was not doing enough in the 
anti-narcotics fight.

A perusal of the report reveals Nigeria's epic battle to curb the drug menace.

Godwin Haruna tells the story

Recently, the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2003 (INCSR) 
released by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement 
Affairs, a US agency, has been largely misrepresented by a section of the 
press in Nigeria. US President, Mr. George W. Bush despatched the INCSR to 
Congress listing the major illicit drug producing and drug-transit 
countries. In the same report, Bush provided his determination on which of 
these countries has "failed demonstrably to make substantial efforts" 
during the previous 12 months to adhere to international counter-narcotics 
agreements and to take the counter-narcotics measures specified in US law.

The certification determination required the US president to consider each 
country's performance in areas such as stemming illicit cultivation, 
extraditing drug traffickers, and taking legal steps and law enforcement 
measures to prevent and punish public corruption that facilitates drug 
trafficking or impedes prosecution of drug-related crimes.

The US president also had to consider efforts taken by these countries to 
stop production and export of, and reduce the domestic demand for illegal 
drugs.

The report identified Nigeria alongside 21 others as major drug-transit or 
major illicit drug producing countries.

However, it noted: "A country's presence on the majors list is not 
necessarily an adverse reflection of its government's counter-narcotics 
efforts or level of cooperation with the United States. Consistent with the 
statutory definition of a major drug-transit or drug-producing country set 
forth in section 481(e)(5) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as 
amended (the FAA), one of the reasons that major drug-transit or drug 
producing countries are placed on the list is the combination of 
geographical, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs to transit 
or be produced despite the concerned governments' most assiduous enforcement".

The report went further to designate Burma and Haiti as countries that have 
failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to adhere to their 
obligations under international counter-narcotics agreements and to take 
the measures set forth in US law. The report also noted with concern that 
heroin and methamphetamine trafficking has been linked to North Korea and 
expressed the US determination to stop the country's involvement in 
narcotics production and trafficking.

The report's Country Actions Against Drugs in 2003 on Nigeria noted that 
NDLEA created State Commands - local offices in each of the country's 
administrative jurisdiction to ensure a comprehensive nationwide presence 
of the agency.

Thus, the agency now has 37 State Commands in addition to the national 
headquarters and nine Special Area Commands. It stated that the 
computerisation of the agency's administrative and accounting statistics 
ensures greater efficiency and transparency. According to the report, NDLEA 
also sponsored several events to increase awareness of drug abuse among 
school age children and hosted, with private sponsors, a money laundering 
workshop to explain to banks and other financial institutions their role in 
stemming money laundering activity in the country. It noted that the 
continuity provided by the current NDLEA chairman, Alhaji Bello Lafiaji, 
has exacted a greater measure of commitment and loyalty from the NDLEA 
field personnel and staff and has resulted in increased efforts and 
training opportunities at all levels of the Agency. As an example of 
NDLEA's commitment to trained personnel and regional cooperation, Nigeria 
has contributed $2 million towards a five-year $6 million United Nations 
Office on Drug and Control (UNODC) project to convert NDLEA Academy in Jos 
to a Regional Law Enforcement Training Centre. The first phase of the 
project is underway.

The INCSR 2003 recorded several accomplishments of Nigeria's 
counter-narcotics efforts under the Lafiaji era: "The NDLEA continues its 
successful interdiction of couriers for the U. K. and U. S. through Murtala 
Mohammed International Airport in Lagos as well as Nnamdi Azikiwe 
International Airport in Abuja. NDLEA helped intercept over $3,000,000 
worth of fraudulent cheques and, with the added cooperation of Federal 
Express, over $200,000 in merchandise that had been purchased with stolen 
credit cards was returned to the respective vendors.

"The NDLEA has assumed a leadership role in drug enforcement in the region. 
With DEA assistance, the NDLEA created the West African Joint Operation 
(WAJO) initiative, bringing together drug enforcement personnel from 15 
countries in the region to improve regional cooperation. A DEA-assisted 
WAJO planning conference will be held in the Gambia in early 2004. The 
NDLEA continues expanded counter narcotics cooperation with the Police in 
South Africa, where Nigeria criminal organisations are believed to be 
responsible for the bulk of drug trafficking".

It stated that seizures of hard drugs in 2003 were modest, with cocaine and 
heroin totalling 130 kilogrammes and 70 kilogrammes respectively; no one 
seizure exceeded 15 kilogrammes. NDLEA also seized more than 937 
kilogrammes of synthetic drugs and more than 530,000 kilogrammes of cannabis.

Similar successes have been recorded by the NDLEA State Commands, with one 
state arresting 58 persons and seizing 1,700 kilogrammes of cannabis, 10 
kilogrammes of cocaine and 9 kilogrammes of heroin between September and 
November 2003. NDLEA achieved limited success in combating the various 
elements of the drug trade during 2003.

The report further noted that using special drug courts, a more energetic 
approach by the NDLEA to prosecute drug traffickers efficiently and 
successfully resulted in over 2,300 cases, there are indications that the 
preferred methods of transshipment have changed.

The NDLEA unit at Lagos Murtala Mohammed International Airport conducts 100 
per cent searches of passengers and carry-on baggage.

This is extremely significant given the addition of World Airways direct 
flights to the U. S. from Lagos that started in May, 2003. It noted that 
the enhanced security posture at this airport has prompted some drug 
traffickers to use Nigerian seaports, concealing large quantities of 
contraband in shipping containers. They also seem to have switched to other 
West African airports and seaports with less stringent security controls.

Under domestic programmes, the report stated that the NDLEA continues to 
expand its counter-narcotics clubs at Nigerian universities and distribute 
counter-narcotics literature. The NDLEA has also instituted a teacher's 
manual for primary and secondary schools, which offers guidance on teaching 
students about drug abuse.

NDLEA sponsored a nationwide contest between primary and secondary schools 
with public presentations held at the "UN Day Against Drugs" ceremony in 2003.

The DEA country office in Nigeria works with the NDLEA Joint Task Force and 
other operations personnel to train, coordinate, plan and implement 
internal and regional interdiction operations. At all levels, USG 
representatives enjoy excellent access to their counterparts and there is 
an evident desire on both sides to strengthen these relationships. 
Significantly, the INCSR noted that the NDLEA Chairman, Lafiaji, is 
committed to meeting agency goals and improving the morale of NDLEA officers.

It noted that a high level US-Nigeria law enforcement dialogue, initiated 
by Nigeria in 2001, was renewed in December 2002 and ended with pledges by 
both governments to accomplish certain objectives before the next meeting.

It stated that the majority of the goals and objectives resulting from the 
December 2002 meeting have been met or exceeded.

Looking into the future of the drug interdiction enterprise, the report 
noted that after years of non-cooperation, the U.S. and Nigeria enjoy an 
excellent relationship and improved cooperation on the law enforcement front.

It stated that federal funding for Nigerian law enforcement agencies and 
key anti-crime agencies, however, remains insufficient and erratic in 
disbursement. It urges the Nigerian government to remedy the situation if 
significant landmarks were to be made in the drug interdiction battle. "It 
will require strong and sustained political will and continued 
international assistance for any Nigerian government to confront these 
difficult issues and bring about meaningful change", it stated.

The report stressed that in an encouraging commitment to professionalism in 
police work, NDLEA has mandated all their officers undergo re-training at 
the basic level and mid-level before qualifying for promotion under the new 
promotion programme.

Asked to comment on the report, Mr. Jonah Achema, assistant director of 
public affairs at NDLEA, stated that contrary to some misrepresentations in 
the media in Nigeria, the report did not portray the country in bad light.

Achema maintained that the INCSR actually applauded the Agency's 
counter-narcotics efforts, especially since the assumption of office of 
Lafiaji, who he said has zealously pursued the drug war in many innovative 
ways never witnessed in the Agency. He clarified some salient terms such as 
transit nation and de-certification as used in the report for a better 
understanding of the issues involved.

On transit nation, he said: "Within the international narcotics control 
framework, nations are classified based on their level of involvement in 
the drug market.

Some nations are classified as source (producer) countries, suggesting that 
drugs originate from such countries. Others are regarded as consumer 
countries, that is, such countries consume drugs on a very large scale that 
it provides a lucrative market for drug trafficking. Yet still, some 
countries classified as transit countries, in which case, these countries 
are used as conduits to move drugs from source to consumer countries.

This is made possible by the reason of their geographical location, 
population of not less than 120 million, where two out of five black 
persons in the world is a Nigerian and volume of commercial activities like 
easy transportation, air link to Europe and America". Achema explained that 
some Asian and Latin American countries are classified as source countries.

The US and some European countries, he added, are classified as consumer 
countries while Nigeria is only a transit country, just like Ghana and 
others within the continent.

He stated that Nigeria dose not produce either of the internationally 
controlled drugs like cocaine or heroin.

However, he conceded that Nigeria produces cannabis sativa, but the Agency 
was making it increasingly difficult for people to cultivate. He said since 
the classification was largely a function of position in the trafficking 
chain, it was never a factor upon which US certification was based. "That 
Nigeria is listed as a transit nation by the US government is no news and 
cannot be interpreted to mean that the country has been decertified or is 
on the verge of US de-certification", Achema stated. On certification, he 
stated that by the time Lafiaji assumed office, Nigeria had been 
decertified for almost eight years.

But through conscientious devotion to duty and single minded pursuit of 
objectives as a team player, Nigeria was certified barely six months into 
Lafiaji's tenure. He added that the country has never been tainted since 
then despite constraints in the performance of their duty, they have been 
meeting operational objectives in the counter-narcotic war. "At what point 
therefore, has Nigeria been decertified by the US government when the 
Agency is still very much consistent with the performance that has earned 
the country certification for three consecutive years", Achema queried and 
added: "Indeed, the Agency has been properly repositioned to exceed its 
performance in the last three years, with the recent overhauling of its 
operational machinery, and the creation of 37 state commands and ten 
special area commands.

For the avoidance of doubt, Nigeria is fully certified as a cooperating 
country in the fight against drug trafficking worldwide.

The leadership role of Nigeria in the continent in this regard is self 
evident through the support NDLEA has mobilised for the country and the 
respect it has earned worldwide.

Drug know no race, tribe or borders, hence the need for all and sundry to 
have a stake in efforts being made to curb its prevalence".
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