The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has uncovered plans by some persons to introduce an illicit drug, Fentanyl, into the Nigerian market.
The agency made this known in a statement on Tuesday by its Director,
of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
NDLEA noted that Fentanyl was 100 times stronger than Tramadol, warning that the illicitly manufactured drug is capable of causing mass casualty among the youth population being targeted by the cartels.
The anti-narcotics agency said every step must be taken to ensure that the drug which is currently responsible for over 70% overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the US is not allowed to circulate in Nigeria because of its lethality and the current drug abuse prevalence of 14.4% in the country.
NDLEA said, “We are not unaware of desperate efforts by some drug cartels to introduce to the Nigerian market, Fentanyl, which according to the CDC, is 80 times as potent as morphine and 100 times more potent than heroin.
“This, they plan to do either in liquid or powder form and/or with misleading labels to target our youth population.
“This they may also mix with other prescription drugs. The illegally manufactured fentanyl in its liquid form can come in nasal sprays, eye drops, or small candies.