By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would inflict maximum loss on drug cartels.

The NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, and the Comptroller General NCS, retired Col. Hameed Ali, both signed the MoU in Abuja.

The MoU Is expected to inflict severe loss on drug cartel bent on trafficking illicit substances at the detriment of Nigeria and Nigerians.

In his remarks, Marwa expressed delight at the decision by the two government agencies to document their working relationship in an MoU

He said that the move was certainly a benchmark for information and intelligence sharing.

He revealed that the document contained number of innovations that would encourage interpersonal relationship amongst the rank and file at various levels of command and administration of the two organisations.

He added that it provided for joint training of personnel just as it made provisions for regular meetings of command officers at various levels of command structures.

The NDLEA chairman said that it was also a platform for sharing of operational and administrative experiences with a view to adopting best practices that work.

According to him, with this united front, there could only be one assurance that the criminal elements in our society will definitely be the losers.

“I assure you that they would certainly lose big as we come for them to put them where they rightly belong and cripple their crime syndicates.

“There is no doubt about the benefits that this MoU will provide to our two services and the nation at large.

“It is my hope that its successful execution and implementation will provide the necessary impetus for extension to other sister law enforcement agencies operating at our airports, seaports and land borders.”

Marwa said that it was, therefore, imperative to drive the implementation of the MoU to ensure that its objectives and derivable are achieved.

He noted that the expected outcome of the series of interactions among both organisations would be to foster better understanding of the respective roles and mandates of the two organisation.

He said that It would also helped on how they complement one another in a mutually inclusive way.

“The ultimate objective is to dissolve suspicion, friction and general interagency rivalry that does not do our nation any good in terms of effectively securing the entry and exit points of our dear country.

“This will provide an effective defence line at our various ports of entry/exit to prevent the influx of offensive materials and substances that undermine our national security.

“It will also ensure that our national assets are not smuggled out to undermine our economic progress and stability,” he further said.

Earlier, Ali commended Marwa for initiating the MoU, saying that the MoU would help send a very strong signal in the fight against crime.

“We believe that coming together shows commitment to saving this nation from drugs and other substances. I want to take this special opportunity to thank my senior for initiating this MOU.

“I must say something; Marwa is a very committed person. It is not new to us in the uniform to see his strides, for those who have had the opportunity to serve with him. He is a game player and a game changer.

“When my attention was drawn to this initiative, I knew this was the Marwa trend. I thank him for initiating this event, and creating an avenue for us to synergise and come up with a veritable way for fighting drug abuse in this nation,” he said.

Ali reiterated that the coming together of both agencies would not send a signal only to the nation but to the international partners that the agencies were committed to protecting the borders from illicit drugs.

“We have all along been doing this, finding drugs in the borders, but thank God the sole responsibility has been removed from us, and we have some relief.

“What we do now is that when we arrest the suspects, we hand them over to the NDLEA, where they will be pursued, investigated, and punished severely.

“The coming of Marwa has given us confidence that the suspects will be handled accordingly,” he said.

He gave assurance of the commitment of the NCS to the implementation of the MoU saying the agency was grateful to have been incorporated into the initiative.

“I want to believe that the collaboration will make impact in reducing to the barest minimum the drug menace. NDLEA and the Customs must also invest in technology to fight the drug menace.

“Both of us must ensure we deploy technology as we go into this commitment, to fighting the drug menace.

“It is the key to success, as methods of concealment are numerous, with other illicit drugs put in pockets, shoes, and edible foods.” He said. (NAN)

•NDLEA Chairman Marwa and NCS Comptroller General Hameed Ali

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