As part of a concerted effort to combat illicit drug trafficking between Nigeria and South Africa, senior officials from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently engaged in a two-day meeting with their South African counterparts from the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as HAWKS. The primary objective of this meeting was to establish stronger operational ties that would create a challenging environment for drug syndicates operating between the two nations.
The meeting took place at the NDLEA national headquarters in Abuja on Monday, 24th July. Representing the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Mr. Shadrach Haruna, the Agency’s Secretary, conveyed the significance of the deliberations. This meeting followed a virtual one held in April 2022 and aimed to bridge the gap and intensify collaboration, adhering to the principle of common and shared responsibility in addressing the global drug problem.
One of the anticipated outcomes of the visit was the establishment of a collaborative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NDLEA of Nigeria and the DPCI HAWKS of South Africa. This MoU would facilitate enhanced information exchange and enable Joint Operations and Joint Airport Interdiction, both of which promised significant benefits to both organizations and their respective countries.
During the meeting, Marwa highlighted the growing complexity of drug trafficking cartels, particularly the proliferation of methamphetamine laboratories and the emergence of fentanyl production facilities. These developments posed severe threats to the safety and well-being of citizens in both countries. He emphasized the urgent need for swift action through seamless intelligence exchange and technical expertise.
Marwa stressed that such collaboration would not only help curb the illicit production of dangerous drugs but also prevent locally produced drugs from being smuggled between the two countries. Given the substantial volume of trade and social interactions between Nigeria and South Africa, there was a corresponding increase in the trade of illicit drugs, making collaboration all the more imperative. One of the expected outcomes of the meeting was the formulation of an agreed mechanism to dislodge and disrupt major drug trafficking syndicates operating between the two jurisdictions.
Responding to the initiative, Lt. Gen. Senaba Mosipi, the leader of the South African delegation, emphasized the necessity of collaboration between the two countries. Criminals involved in the drug trade recognize no borders or geographical boundaries, making proactive and coordinated law enforcement measures essential. He expressed confidence in the capacity for fruitful collaboration between the NDLEA and HAWKS, regardless of the distance separating their nations, as this cooperation was crucial in combatting the operations of criminal syndicates that transcend national borders.
