The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has engaged some of its Commanders and officers in series of trainings in Advance Passenger Information System (API) and Passenger Targeting/Intelligence Gathering in order to improve operations at major airports in the country.
The trainings, held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire and Abuja, were funded by the European Union, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US),
It was done under the Airport Communication Project (AIRCOP), implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
UNODC, the facilitator stated that the workshops were designed to enhance the capacity of the Agency’s Commands at Airports to target and intercept high-risk passengers, cargo and mail, to help combat illicit drug trafficking.
In a statement made available to Thelensng by the Director, Media & Advocacy of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi on Friday, UNODC also helped to facilitate communication and coordination between countries of origin, transit and destination in order to destabilise illicit cross-border flows and criminal networks.
Babafemi disclosed that the Commander of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Strategic Command of NDLEA, ACGN Usman Ali Wadar and his counterpart at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, CN Mohammed Ajiya participated in the six-day training in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
13 other officers selected from the MMIA and NAIA Commands also took part in the five-day training that held in Abuja.
He said that they are all expected to impact the knowledge and skills acquired during the sessions on their colleagues.
On his part, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the facilitators: Ms. Fabienne Russel of UNODC and Anderson Leme Siqueira of Brazilian Customs Administration for taking their time to be in Abuja for the training after the engagement in Abidjan.
Marwa also lauded the two Agency’s Commanders and other officers, who participated in the Abidjan and Abuja training sessions for their interest and commitment.
He charged them to immediately reflect the new skills and tools in their operations across the international airports in the country.
