The Chairman and CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), announced that the recent training and certification of the agency’s Marine Command officers in advanced diving techniques will act as a significant deterrent to large cocaine shipments entering Nigeria. The training, held in Bombinhas city, Brazil, under the aegis of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), included basic diving, advanced open water diving, and full-face mask diving.
Marwa, while receiving the training report from the agency’s Director of Seaports Operations, DCGN Omolade Faboyede, emphasized that the new skills will serve as a warning to international drug cartels that their illicit cargoes can no longer be concealed on ships entering Nigeria. Eight officers, including two from Nigeria, were selected for the training, which spanned two phases in November 2023 and July 2024. The initiative aimed to bolster the fight against drug trafficking and transnational crime across four countries: Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, and Senegal.
The trained officers are now equipped to conduct comprehensive ship hull searches, significantly enhancing public safety and law enforcement capabilities. Marwa praised the NDLEA officers for their exemplary performance, asserting that their new diving skills will discourage international drug networks from attempting to smuggle large consignments into the country. He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to staying ahead of drug cartels by continuously upgrading the skills and technological tools available to its personnel, ensuring a safer Nigeria by combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
