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UNODC Raises Alarm Over Growing Global Illicit Drug Supply
UNODC Raises Alarm Over Growing Global Illicit Drug Supply
By: Michael Mike
Growing illicit drug supply and increasingly agile trafficking networks are compounding intersecting global crises and challenging health services and law enforcement responses, according to the World Drug Report 2023 launched by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Monday.
New data put the global estimate of people who inject drugs in 2021 at 13.2 million, 18 per cent higher than previously estimated. Globally, over 296 million people used drugs in 2021, an increase of 23 per cent over the previous decade. The number of people who suffer from drug use disorders, meanwhile, has skyrocketed to 39.5 million, a 45 per cent increase over 10 years.
The Report features a special chapter on drug trafficking and crimes that affect the environment in the Amazon Basin, as well as sections on clinical trials involving psychedelics and medical use of cannabis; drug use in humanitarian settings; innovations in drug treatment and other services; and drugs and conflict.
The World Drug Report 2023 also highlighted how social and economic inequalities drive – and are driven by – drug challenges; the environmental devastation and human rights abuses caused by illicit drug economies; and the rising dominance of synthetic drugs.
The report showed that demand for treating drug-related disorders remains largely unmet with only one in five people suffering from drug-related disorders were in treatment for drug use in 2021, with widening disparities in access to treatment across regions.
Youth populations are the most vulnerable to using drugs and are also more severely affected by substance use disorder in several regions. In Africa, 70 per cent of people in treatment are under the age of 35.
The report argued that public health, prevention, and access to treatment services must be prioritized worldwide, or drug challenges will leave more people behind. It further underscored the need for law enforcement responses to keep pace with agile criminal business models and the proliferation of cheap synthetic drugs that are easy to bring to market.
Reacting to the findings of the report, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said: “We are witnessing a continued rise in the number of people suffering from drug use disorders worldwide, while treatment is failing to reach all of those who need it. Meanwhile, we need to step up responses against drug trafficking rings that are exploiting conflicts and global crises to expand illicit drug cultivation and production, especially of synthetic drugs, fueling illicit markets and causing greater harm to people and communities.”
According to the report, the right to health is not granted to many people who use drugs; large inequalities in access and availability of controlled drugs for medical use persist, particularly for pain management; the disparity is particularly prevalent between the global North and South and across urban and rural areas, making some people feel the negative impact of drugs more than others.
Some 86 per cent of the world’s population live in countries with too little access to pharmaceutical opioids (as controlled under the 1961 Single Convention) – mainly low and middle-income countries; some impoverished and vulnerable populations, such as those in the tri-border area between Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, are trapped in rural areas with a high prevalence of drug-related crimes, with their remote locations make it exceedingly difficult for them to benefit from treatment services, resources, or the rule of law.
The report explained that the drug economy in the Amazon Basin is exacerbating additional criminal activities – such as illegal logging, illegal mining, illegal land occupation, wildlife trafficking and more – damaging the environment of the world’s largest rainforest. Indigenous peoples and other minorities are suffering the consequences of this crime convergence, including displacement, mercury poisoning, and exposure to violence, among others; environmental defenders are sometimes specifically targeted by traffickers and armed groups.
It stated that while the war in Ukraine has displaced traditional cocaine and heroin routes, there are signs that the conflict could trigger an expansion of the manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs, given the existing know-how and the large markets for synthetic drugs developing in the region: in the Sahel, the illicit drug trade finances non-state armed and insurgency groups, while in Haiti, drug traffickers take advantage of porous borders to bolster their businesses, fueling the country’s multiplying crises.
The report said while new research on the use of controlled drugs such as psychedelics to treat mental health conditions and substance use disorders shows promise, it however cautioned that the fast pace of developments could jeopardize efforts to enact policies that place public health concerns over commercial interests; without well-designed, adequately researched frameworks in place, there may be too little access for those who need treatment – potentially causing patients to turn to illegal markets – or conversely, the psychedelics may be diverted for non-medical use.
The report said the cheap, easy, and fast production of synthetic drugs has radically transformed many illicit drug markets; criminals producing methamphetamine – the world’s dominant illegally manufactured synthetic drug – are attempting to evade law enforcement and regulatory responses through new synthesis routes, bases of operation, and non-controlled precursors.
It raised the alarm that fentanyl has drastically altered the opioid market in North America with dire consequences, noting that in 2021, the majority of the approximately 90,000 opioid related overdose deaths in North America involved illegally manufactured fentanyls.
It was however said drug ban in Afghanistan may have reversed upward opium production trend; the 2023 opium harvest in Afghanistan may see a drastic drop following the national drug ban, as early reports suggest reductions in poppy cultivation, stressing that the benefits of a possible significant reduction in illicit opium cultivation in Afghanistan in 2023 would be global, but it will be at the expense of many farmers in the country who do not have alternative means of income generation.
It added that Afghanistan is also a major producer of methamphetamines in the region, and the drop in opiate cultivation could drive a shift towards synthetic drug manufacture, where different actors will benefit.
UNODC Raises Alarm Over Growing Global Illicit Drug Supply
Advocacy Group Demands Proof of NBMA Chief’s Eligibility
By: Michael Mike
A civil society organisation, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER), has formally requested access to the academic and professional records of Bello Bwari, director-general of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), raising questions about his eligibility to occupy the position.
The request was submitted under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to the Federal Ministry of Environment.
CASER said the move was prompted by concerns that the current head of the biosafety agency may not meet the qualifications required by law.
According to the group, the NBMA Act provides that the director-general of the agency must possess at least a master’s degree in biological sciences or a related field, while noting that Bwari is widely known to be a legal practitioner, a background the organisation argues may be inconsistent with the statutory requirements for the role.
In the FOI application, CASER called on the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, to confirm the director-general’s credentials and make the information available to the public. The organisation stressed that transparency in appointments is essential for maintaining confidence in regulatory institutions.
CASER further warned that failure to clarify the issue could weaken public trust in agencies responsible for biosafety, environmental protection, and biotechnology oversight.
The group added that the matter goes beyond one appointment and reflects broader concerns about compliance with enabling laws in public offices.
Founder of CASER and a human rights lawyer,!Frank Tietie, criticised what he described as the lack of response from professionals in the scientific community. In a recent opinion article, he argued that leadership of a biosafety agency without strong scientific grounding could undermine effective regulation.
Tietie said adherence to the law must be non-negotiable, warning that overlooking statutory provisions risks eroding accountability and institutional integrity.
End
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening Environmental Governance
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening environmental governance and improving the delivery of internationally funded environmental projects in the country.
The commitment was made on Monday in Abuja as the National Capacity Building Workshop on Project Oversight for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Operational Focal Point and Implementing Partners commenced.
Declaring the workshop opened, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, described the programme as timely and strategic, noting that Nigeria continues to grapple with a range of environmental challenges, including desertification, plastic pollution, biodiversity loss, oil contamination in the Niger Delta, and the growing impacts of climate change.
The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mahmud Kambari stressed that addressing these challenges requires not only access to global environmental financing but also strong institutional capacity for effective planning, implementation, monitoring, and oversight of projects.
He acknowledged the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as a long-standing development partner, highlighting its significant contributions to biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, sustainable land management, and community-based environmental initiatives across the country, while noting that GEF-supported interventions have helped conserve hundreds of indigenous plant species, promote sustainable forest management, and support renewable energy and energy-efficiency initiatives aligned with Nigeria’s climate action goals.
Lawal further emphasized the role of GEF projects in addressing land degradation and enhancing food security through sustainable agriculture and landscape restoration. He cited flagship interventions that integrate nature-based solutions with livelihood resilience as clear examples of how environmental protection can be linked to socio-economic development.
The Minister also commended initiatives such as GEF GOLD+, which promotes mercury-free artisanal gold mining, and integrated landscape management projects in the Niger Delta aimed at transforming cocoa and palm oil production systems.
In the welcome remarks from the office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, the importance of strong project oversight in translating GEF funding into measurable and lasting environmental outcomes was underscored.
The remarks which was read by the Director Planning, Research and Statistics in the Ministry, Agnes Aneke noted that the workshop was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s engagement with the GEF and ensure that stakeholders are fully equipped to manage the country’s project portfolio in line with international best practices.
Aneke also noted that Nigeria has benefited from over three decades of partnership with the GEF, with interventions spanning biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land degradation control, international waters management, and the reduction of chemicals and waste. However, he emphasized that funding alone is not sufficient, stressing the need for effective coordination, technical competence, and robust monitoring and evaluation systems.
She said the Nigeria-focused training directly addresses the country’s pressing environmental challenges, including desertification, plastic waste proliferation, oil pollution in the Niger Delta, biodiversity loss, and increasing climate risks, while . explaining that participants would, over the two-day workshop, deepen their understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the GEF Operational Focal Point, implementing agencies, and other stakeholders, while also strengthening skills in reporting, communication, project visibility, and results-based management.
The workshop was organized by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility, with technical support from the Tropical Biology Association (TBA). It builds on lessons from a recent regional training held in Ghana and is expected to enhance transparency, accountability, and overall performance in the implementation of GEF-supported projects in Nigeria.
Participants were drawn from government institutions, implementing agencies, civil society organizations, and convention focal points were urged to engage actively in the sessions, share experiences, and develop practical oversight strategies that align with Nigeria’s national development and environmental priorities.
The two-day workshop is expected to contribute to improved project performance, stronger partnerships, and more effective environmental interventions across the country.
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening Environmental Governance
Seven dead, five injured in multiple-vehicle crash along Lokoja–Abuja highway
By: Zagazola Makama
At least seven persons were killed and five others injured on Tuesday morning in a multiple-vehicle collision along the Lokoja–Abuja highway near Gadabiu Village, Kwali Local Government Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the accident occurred at about 9:00 a.m. when a Howo truck, with registration number ANC 665 XA, driven by one Adamu of Tafa Local Government Area, Kaduna State, lost control and rammed into three stationary vehicles parked along the road.
The affected vehicles included a Golf 3 (GWA 162 KZ), another Golf and a Sharon vehicle.The drivers of the three stationary vehicles are yet to be identified.
The sources said the Howo truck had been travelling from Okaki in Kogi State to Tafa LGA in Kaduna State when the incident occurred. Seven victims reportedly died on the spot, while five sustained various degrees of injuries, including fractures.
The injured were rushed to Abaji General Hospital, where they are receiving treatment. The corpses of the deceased have been released to their families for burial according to Islamic rites.
The police have advised motorists to exercise caution on highways and called on drivers to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy to prevent similar accidents in the future.
Seven dead, five injured in multiple-vehicle crash along Lokoja–Abuja highway
Advocacy Group Demands Proof of NBMA Chief’s Eligibility
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening Environmental Governance
Seven dead, five injured in multiple-vehicle crash along Lokoja–Abuja highway
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