The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) and the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom have recommitted to battle drug cartels as part of efforts to stamp out organised crimes in Nigeria and the UK.
This was highlighted in remarks by Buba Marwa, chairman/CEO of NDLEA, and David Cater, regional manager, West Africa, NCA at the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, July 4.
According to Marwa, “this renewed MoU will definitely and inevitably propel high intelligence-driven operational tentacles that will seek out the most complex organised criminal networks, no matter their hiding place to face the wrath of the law.”
Marwa said there were high expectations in the NCA’s upcoming project with the agency’s rebranded Criminal Intelligence Task Force (CITF), adding that “I look forward with great optimism to the requisite specialist capabilities this project will provide to the CITF officials to target and disrupt drug trafficking cartels in our country, the West Africa sub-region and beyond.
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“Our overwhelming gratitude goes to the government of the United Kingdom for its continued technical support to the agency.
Also worthy of appreciation is the commendable efforts of the dedicated UK NCA personnel which no doubt, has inspired the agency’s CITF officials with deepened enthusiasm to tackle serious organised crimes frontally.”
The NDLEA boss said that organised crime was a dynamic and complex phenomenon that did not recognise borders, thereby posing a grave threat to lives and properties in both countries.
He noted that: “It is, therefore, imperative to aggressively seek proactive ways of managing intelligence and enhancing capabilities for disrupting transnational organised crime syndicates, thereby justifying the need to sustain the renewal of this memorandum of understanding which is another significant milestone in our collaborative efforts to combat organised criminal groups.”
On his part, Cater said renewing the MoU was of great significance to the good work of both the NDLEA and NCA. He said the MoU will “enable us to take the battle to the enemies, that is, the cartels.”
He expressed appreciation to the leadership of the NDLEA for the support and confidence reposed in the partnership while assuring that the ongoing project will continue to support the agency to succeed in its tasks.
