The French government has assured the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of more collaboration and support in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
French Police Attaché in Nigeria, Phillipe Crespo, gave the assurance on Saturday when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the NDLEA in Abuja.
The visit followed the conclusion of a series of special operations training for officers of Strike Force Unit in NDLEA Academy in Jos, and the third of such training in the last two years.
Speaking during the visit, Crespo commended NDLEA Chief Executive Officer, Buba Marwa for the warm reception always accorded the French team.
He also commended Marwa’s willingness to collaborate with local and international partners in his determined effort to curb the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
He said that the success of NDLEA’s operations was not only helping to protect Nigerians and Nigerian cities but equally communities in foreign lands.
This, he said, was through the agency’s interdiction efforts that had led to huge seizures of assorted illicit drug consignments heading to Europe and other parts of the world.
He, however, proposed that the growing partnership should be documented in a memorandum of understanding in the new year.
In his remarks, the NDLEA boss expressed appreciation to the French government for its support and partnership.
“I remember in 2022 when I visited the headquarters of RAID in France on the invitation and I made a request for this type of training, I never knew it was something that would come so fast and this consistently. Soon after that visit, a team of experts were sent to train our personnel and I am glad this is the third such exercise,” he said.
“The drug problem is huge and worldwide, and as such, we require global partnership, collaboration and every bit of expertise we can acquire to confront the drug cartels and put an end to their activities which pose a direct threat to public health and the security of countries across the globe.
“It is therefore a thing of joy that our collaboration is not just growing at the level of drug law enforcement, but we can see the growing partnership between our two leaders: President Bola Tinubu and President Emmanuel Macron; our governments and our countries; this will in no small measure bring great benefits to both sides”, Marwa stated.
