More than 100 Nigerians were arrested in India last year over drug trafficking offences, according to new data released by the country’s narcotics agency, raising concerns about international drug networks and Nigeria’s image abroad.
Figures from India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) show that 106 Nigerians were detained in 2024, making them one of the largest groups of foreign suspects.
The highest number came from Nepal with 203 arrests, followed by Myanmar with 25. Smaller numbers were recorded from Bangladesh, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.
India’s Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, who presented the report at a national anti-narcotics conference in New Delhi, vowed tougher action against cross-border cartels.
He said the government would not only pursue peddlers but also dismantle networks at entry points, in distribution, and at retail level.
“The fight is no longer about catching small drug peddlers.
“We are now targeting cartels at every stage,” Shah said, noting that authorities are expanding the use of cryptocurrency tracking, darknet monitoring, and data analytics in investigations.
The report also pointed to evolving smuggling methods.
In Punjab alone, 163 cases involved drugs flown in by drones, while large consignments of heroin and methamphetamine were intercepted in Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said India’s location—bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Myanmar—places it between two of the world’s biggest drug-producing regions.
Security experts in Nigeria say the arrests reflect how traffickers exploit vulnerable people.
“Criminal syndicates often lure unemployed youths with promises of quick money, using them as couriers,” said Lagos-based analyst Musa Olatunji.
“This is a regional issue, not just a Nigerian one.”
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to react to the latest figures.
However, officials in the past have argued that many Nigerians imprisoned abroad are victims of powerful international criminal networks.
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