The United Kingdom’s Home Office International Operations (HOIO) has praised its ongoing collaboration with Nigeria in combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking, acknowledging the significant successes recorded by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
This commendation was made by Victoria Pullen, Head of HOIO, during a courtesy visit to the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), on Monday, October 21, 2024, in Abuja.
Pullen, accompanied by her colleague Kristoffer Hawksfield, expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between the UK and Nigeria, particularly in drug interdiction efforts. She noted that the collaborative approach between the two nations had resulted in a series of major victories against drug cartels and trafficking syndicates. “The issue of drug trafficking is a huge global issue, and it takes a global effort to counter that,” Pullen remarked, emphasizing the positive results emerging from the teamwork between NDLEA and HOIO.
Victoria Pullen With Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa
She also highlighted the recent commissioning of the NDLEA Marine Command Headquarters in Lagos, which was built and donated by the UK government. According to Pullen, the new facility is a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership, which will further enhance Nigeria’s capacity to curb drug trafficking and reduce the flow of illicit substances globally. “We look forward to seeing the results of this investment, which will benefit both Nigeria and the world by disrupting drug networks,” she added.
In his response, Brig. Gen. Marwa expressed gratitude to the UK for its consistent support in the fight against illicit drugs. He acknowledged the importance of the new Marine Headquarters and other facilities provided by the HOIO, including the CITF facility at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. “These contributions have greatly enhanced the capacity of the NDLEA and positively impacted our performance,” Marwa stated.
Marwa also shared the agency’s progress since its reforms began three years ago, with over 52,000 arrests, seizures of over 8,000 tons of illicit substances, and more than 9,000 convictions. He stressed the importance of continued collaboration, particularly in intelligence sharing, given the volume of travel between the UK and Nigeria. He expressed optimism that the renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would further strengthen the partnership.
The renewed MoU between HOIO and NDLEA, signed during the meeting, is expected to solidify the UK-Nigeria partnership in tackling transnational drug trafficking. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to working together toward a shared goal of making significant strides in the global fight against drug trafficking.
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