Security
THE Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, has emphasised the importance of training in tackling the scourge of drug trafficking.
Marwa said this at the closing ceremony of a two-week training for 23 NDLEA officers on combating international drug trafficking, on Friday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony was sponsored by the German government and attended by the top management of the agency.
A team of German instructors, led by a representative of the embassy in Nigeria, was also at the event.
Marwa said that the two-week training organised by the German Federal Criminal Police Office, otherwise known as Bundeskriminalamnt (BKA), covered core areas.
These, he said, include principles of crime scene investigations and training in West Africa Police Investigation System (WAPIS).
The NDLEA boss said that the 23 participants, drawn from various departments of the agency, were engaged in classroom work, presentations and practical exercises for the duration of the programme.
Marwa said, “To tackle the drug challenge, the number one priority, obviously, is the professionalism of the human resources, which you can only achieve through training.
“Unless personnel are properly equipped with training, they cannot do their job. That is the more reason we are emphasising the training of our personnel.”
Marwa said that the agency appreciated Germany’s gesture of supporting the NDLEA with the right training for combating international drug trafficking.
“It’s a collaborative effort now, because the drug terrain is international,” he said.
The NDLEA Chairman said that the canine unit supplied and funded by the Germans had been effective in critical cases such as the discovery of the Captagon shipment in Lagos Port in 2021.
“To those who have been trained today, congratulations. You are quite lucky to receive this calibre of training from the BKA, one of the world’s most efficient institutions on criminal policing.
“You have to remember that German training in any respect is at its peak globally. Count yourselves lucky that you are beneficiaries of training from BKA, and you have to take full advantage of it and let’s see it on the ground.
“We’ll also, in time, take full advantage of this training to also train others in the skills that you have acquired.”
In her remarks, the representative of the German embassy, Ms. Uduak Akpabio, said that the federal foreign office funding of the programme was part of the German government’s greater engagement.
This, she said were in police reforms and security sector reforms more generally.
“Our support reflects the German government’s commitment to fostering stability, especially as it pertains to addressing the menace of international drug trafficking,” she said.
Akpabio appreciated the work of the NDLEA which she described as “a critical pillar in safeguarding Nigeria’s stability, security and wellbeing of its citizens”.
She added: “By investing in the capacity of these officers, you have strengthened not only Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking but also the global framework for combating this menace.”
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of certificates to the participants.
The BKA liaison officer in Nigeria, Dominik Muller, presented kits and resources for substance test to the agency, while the NDLEA also gave plaques and mementos to the trainers in appreciation of their efforts. (NAN)
A.I
Nov. 29, 2024
Tags: Dominik Muller National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa
