The United Kingdom’s Home Office International Operations (HOIO) has commended its partnership with Nigeria in combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking, citing the recent successes of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). This was disclosed by Victoria Pullen, Head of HOIO, during a courtesy visit to NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) in Abuja on Monday, October 21, 2024.
Pullen, accompanied by her colleague Kristoffer Hawksfield, expressed satisfaction with the growing cooperation between the two countries and highlighted how collaborative efforts are contributing to significant breakthroughs in Nigeria’s fight against illicit drug trafficking. “Drug trafficking is a huge global issue, and tackling it requires a global effort. We are seeing this cooperation bear fruit, with NDLEA teams intercepting increasing volumes of illicit substances,” Pullen said.
She also praised the innovative approaches of the NDLEA teams and noted the recent commissioning of the NDLEA Marine Command Headquarters in Lagos, which was built and donated by the UK government, as a key milestone in the partnership. “The more we help interdict drugs here, the less that goes into other countries. We’re thrilled with the results so far and excited for the future of this collaboration,” she added.
In his remarks, Brig. Gen. Marwa thanked the UK government for its continued support, including the Marine Command Headquarters and other facilities like the CITF unit at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. He highlighted the ongoing reform efforts at NDLEA, which have led to over 52,000 arrests, the seizure of 8,000 tons of illicit substances, and more than 9,000 convictions in the last three years.
Marwa also called for further assistance from the UK to help curb drug trafficking and strengthen intelligence sharing between both countries. “With the renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) we are signing today, we are set to deepen this relationship even further in our shared responsibility of tackling the global drug problem,” he stated.
The new MoU is expected to boost the ongoing partnership and enhance Nigeria’s capacity to combat drug-related crimes while contributing to global efforts against transnational criminal organizations.
