National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has urged Air Peace crew to consider their role in exposing drug couriers as a commitment to save lives.
Speaking during an eight-day training for Air Peace cabin crew members, which opened at the weekend in Lagos, the agency warned that those involved in drug peddling risked killing themselves or being executed if caught in some countries of the world with harsh anti-drug laws.
The training is part of the sensitisation programme for the carrier’s crew in preparation for the airline’s international flight operations billed to launch soon.
Air Peace plans to fly to Dubai, Sharjah, London, Houston, Johannesburg, Guangzhou-China, Mumbai, among other international destinations. The carrier recently operated demonstration flights to Port Harcourt, Kano, Freetown, Dakar, Johannesburg and Sharjah as part of the requirements for induction of the Boeing 777 aircraft it plans to deploy for its long-haul services.
Air Peace Cabin Services Manager, Florence Opia, Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah and Chief Security Officer, Mr. Monsuru Akinbola had recently paid a visit to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of the NDLEA to share ideas on proactive options to prevent drug couriers from attempting to peddle drugs using the airline’s international flights.
Speaking at the training, NDLEA’s three-man team comprising Principal Staff Officer (Administration and Logistics), Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Mr. Abbas Abdullahi, Target and Intelligence Analyst, Mr. Akan Francis Inam and Staff Officer (Evidence Collection/Exhibit Keeping), Mr. Okwunjor Edache said drug couriers were daily devising new means of beating the system.
The team, however, said the anti-drug agency was always a step ahead of the drug peddlers, who were frequently being exposed by NDLEA operatives.
They urged Air Peace crew to be calm and cautious in observing passengers, saying drug couriers always left a trail. The NDLEA operatives warned the airline’s crew not to trust anyone and desist from making assumptions, saying drug peddlers could put up deceptive appearance to escape being exposed.
The NDLEA team urged Air Peace crew to assist the agency in checking drug peddling to protect Nigeria’s image and save its citizens from being executed in some countries with tough anti-drug laws.
