By John Moses
Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed nearly half a million tablets of illicit Tramadol 225mg in a public operation aimed at protecting public health and strengthening drug enforcement.
The destruction, which took place in Kano on Wednesday, was supervised by Dr Martins Iluyomade, Director of Investigation and Enforcement, acting on behalf of NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye.
According to Adeyeye, the Tramadol consignment was intercepted by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Command, after a smuggling attempt was thwarted at the country’s northern border.
“On 28 May 2025, NCS operatives led by Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar successfully seized the drugs when smugglers abandoned the cargo upon being overpowered,” she said.
The illicit consignment, comprising 491 rolls equating to 491,000 tablets, carried a street value estimated at ₦91 million (approximately $70,000 USD).
“The destruction of these counterfeit pharmaceuticals reflects robust inter-agency cooperation and our unwavering commitment to combating the illicit drug trade in Nigeria,” Adeyeye added.
She urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious drug-related activities, warning that substances like high-dose Tramadol are often abused and pose serious health risks.
Yusuf Idris, Deputy Controller of Enforcement, represented the NCS Area Controller for Kano and Jigawa and confirmed that the drugs were intercepted at the Mai Gatari border area as they were being smuggled in from Niger Republic.
