Niger: 9,289 individuals arrested in 2025 for drug trafficking, increasing concern over school-aged consumption
via Lefaso.net3 min read
In 2025, Niger arrested 9,289 individuals for drug trafficking, including 8,000 Nigerien nationals and 1,200 foreign nationals. Operations also seized significant quantities of narcotics such as drugs, resins, tramadol, diazepam, and over 4 million pills. Initially a transit country for drugs heading to the Maghreb or Gulf of Guinea, Niger is now experiencing a rise in domestic drug consumption among its youth. The Minister of Interior, Public Security, and Territorial Administration, Major General Mohamed Toumba, noted a dramatic increase in seizures of cannabis, cocaine, crack, tramadol, and diazepam. The minister highlighted a growing concern among parents as drug use becomes more prevalent in schools. He called for increased parental supervision and state-led awareness campaigns in schools and among youth. A morality brigade, established in October 2024, is actively working on this issue. The minister also mentioned discussions with the UNODC to establish drug rehabilitation centers and emphasized the need to strengthen security around cities and increase defense and security forces to cover the entire territory, citing drug use among artisanal miners. This situation underscores the critical challenge of drug trafficking and organized crime in West Africa and the Sahel, which poses a significant threat to peace and stability. The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel UNOWAS also highlights the increasing sophistication of drug cartels and the use of the Saha
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