Codeine Ban: NDLEA Intensifies Cameroonian Border Surveillance

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Adamawa Command, has said that it has commenced intensive surveillance on major routes along the Nigeria-Cameroon border so as to forestall the importation of codeine into the country.

NDLEA said the move was sequel to the federal government’s ban on the production and importation of codeine into the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Federal Ministry of Health had directed NDLEA offices across the country to ensure strict surveillance of the borders.

Speaking with NAN on Thursday in Yola, NDLEA’s Commander in Adamawa, Mr. Yakubu Kibo, said that the command had taken strategic measures to comply with the federal government directive.

He said: “As you are aware, Adamawa has porous borders with Cameroon Republic; five of the seven local government areas affected by Boko Haram in the state are directly on the border with Cameroon.

“But we have intensified surveillance in collaboration with of sister agencies in these areas to frustrate any attempt to import the substance into the country.’’

Kibo said that the command recently destroyed over 14,000 tonnes of hard drugs, four tonnes of which were cough syrup with Codeine.

He gave an assurance that the command would frustrate all possible moves to bring the banned drugs into the state and the country in general. (NAN)