In a significant stride to curb drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has equipped its Marine Command officers with advanced diving skills. Mohamed Buba Marwa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, emphasized that the new capabilities will deter large shipments of cocaine to Nigeria.
“The new ability to dive into the sea to search ship hulls will no doubt discourage global drug networks from attempting to send any large consignment to Nigeria,” Marwa stated. “Our men now have the capacity to search every nook and cranny of ships and vessels coming to Nigeria.”
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The training, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), took place in Bombinhas, Brazil. Officers from four countries, including Nigeria, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, and Senegal, participated in the program, which spanned two phases: November 2023 and July 2024.
According to Marwa, “We will also continue to expose our officers, men, and women to training and the use of modern technological tools in our determined bid to keep our country safe by curbing the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.”