crime

106 Nigerians Arrested for Drug Trafficking in India

Published

1 year ago

September 20, 2025

Nigerians arrested for drug trafficking in India reached 106 in 2023, making them the second-largest group of foreign nationals caught after Nepalese

The figure placed Nigerians second on the list of foreign nationals arrested for narcotics offences, behind Nepalese citizens, who accounted for 203 cases.

Also read: FBI arrests 22 Nigerians in global operation targeting sextortion schemes linked to suicides

Myanmarese nationals were third with 25 arrests. Others included 18 Bangladeshis, 14 Ivorians, 13 Ghanaians, and 10 Icelanders.

The report, unveiled by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 2nd National Conference of Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Forces, highlighted India’s growing challenge with drug trafficking.

NCB Director General Anurag Garg explained that India’s geographical position between the “Death Crescent” (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran) and the “Death Triangle” (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos) made it a vulnerable hub for narcotics transit.

Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir were identified as key smuggling routes for heroin from Pakistan, while India’s northeast is impacted by drugs entering through Myanmar.

Increasingly, coastal states like Mumbai, Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu are being used for synthetic drug smuggling.

The NCB report also documented 163 incidents of drones being used to traffic drugs into Punjab, resulting in the seizure of nearly 187 kilograms of heroin alongside methamphetamine and opium.

Rajasthan recorded 15 drone-related trafficking cases, while one was logged in Jammu and Kashmir.

Home Minister Shah said India’s anti-drug war must now focus on dismantling three layers of cartels: those operating at entry points, those distributing to states, and those selling at the retail level.

He stressed the use of advanced tools such as darknet monitoring, cryptocurrency tracking, and machine learning to stay ahead of traffickers.

Shah further urged state anti-narcotics task forces to collaborate with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to extradite overseas cartel leaders.

“This will not only break the narcotics gangs but also terrorism gangs,” he said, affirming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government’s determination to eradicate narcotics from the country.

Also read: Nigerians Arrested in India Drug Bust Linked to ₹1 Crore Cocaine Haul

Analysts say the figures underline the international dimension of India’s drug problem, with Nigerians remaining a significant group among foreign nationals implicated in trafficking cases.

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Nasarawa Police Launch Forest Offensive Against Bandits

Published

37 minutes ago

October 21, 2026

Peculiar Adirika

Nasarawa police operation targets kidnappers, bandits and armed robbers in forest hideouts, with tactical teams deployed across three sectors.

The Nasarawa State Police Command has launched a special security operation targeting bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminal groups operating in forests across the state.

Also read: Laide Bakare Rejects Eniola Badmus’ ‘Fake’ Apology

The Commissioner of Police, CP Shetima Mohammed, flagged off the exercise in Lafia on Wednesday, October 21, before leading officers towards Alagye Forest in Doma Local Government Area.

Mohammed said the operation followed a directive from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, aimed at strengthening security and restoring lasting peace across Nasarawa State.

He disclosed that tactical squads, anti-kidnapping units and intelligence operatives had been deployed to identified security flashpoints and forest corridors considered vulnerable to criminal activity.

According to the police commissioner, the operation is expected to continue until the end of December, with officers instructed to carry out their duties professionally and comply strictly with the rules of engagement.

To improve coordination and coverage, the command has divided the state into three operational sectors.

Sector A, covering the Lafia zone, is headed by ACP Lamidu Alkali, Squadron Commander of MOPOL 58 in Lafia. Sector B, covering the Akwanga zone, is led by ACP Kadir Umar, Squadron Commander of MOPOL 38 in Akwanga.

Sector C, which covers the Keffi zone, is under ACP Olobekga Saligo, Squadron Commander of MOPOL 69 in Toto.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Sanusi Jidda, will coordinate activities across the three sectors to support the dismantling of criminal camps and improve the effectiveness of the operation.

Mohammed urged residents to assist the security agencies by providing timely and credible information about suspicious movements and activities in their communities.

He assured the public that information supplied to the police would be treated confidentially and encouraged residents to remain law-abiding while continuing their legitimate activities.

The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property as the operation gets underway.

Also read: Laide Bakare Rejects Eniola Badmus’ ‘Fake’ Apology

The success of the Nasarawa police operation will depend on effective intelligence gathering, coordination among security teams and cooperation from local communities. The command has yet to disclose details of arrests, weapons recovered or other operational results.