The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its anti-drug operations at major airports across Nigeria by equipping its officers with advanced skills in passenger and cargo monitoring.
Selected officers recently completed specialized training sessions on the Advanced Passenger Information System (API) and passenger targeting/intelligence gathering.
In a statement issued by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) facilitated the training programs held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and Abuja. These workshops aim to enhance the agency’s ability to identify and intercept high-risk passengers, cargo, and mail. The training also emphasizes cross-border collaboration to dismantle criminal networks and disrupt illicit drug trafficking routes.
Among the participants were top commanders from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja. ACGN Usman Ali Wadar and CN Mohammed Ajiya attended the six-day session in Abidjan, while 13 additional officers underwent a five-day program in Abuja. The newly acquired skills are expected to be cascaded to other NDLEA personnel.
The initiative was supported by international donors, including the European Union, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, under the AIRCOP Airport Communication Project implemented by UNODC.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended facilitators Fabienne Russel of UNODC and Anderson Leme Siqueira of Brazilian Customs for their expertise. He urged trained officers to promptly integrate the new techniques and tools into operations at Nigeria’s airports.
