The United Kingdom Home Office International Operations (HOIO) has revealed that it has gotten great results from the collaboration with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on several drug law enforcement operations and projects.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi on Wednesday following the HOIO’s Director of Africa region operations, Mr. Richard Lloyd visit to NDLEA’s headquarters in Abuja.
Mr. Lloyd, who led a four-member delegation to the NDLEA office disclosed that following the impressive performance of the Agency, the UK government will embark on the construction of a maritime headquarters for NDLEA in June to further enhance the capability of the anti-narcotic body.
He lauded the leadership of Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, stressing that it has achieved tremendous successes in dismantling a lot of trans-border drug trafficking cartels.
Lloyd also said that as further proof of their commitment to the result-oriented partnership with NDLEA, his office will be glad to sign an already drafted Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NDLEA in no distant time.
His words: “I have heard so many good stories of the agency and your team. I will start by saying thanks for your support and the relationship that we have. I’ve been nothing but impressed since I arrived in Nigeria 10 days ago.
“I met a lot of the teams in Lagos and in Abuja and I must say they have been fantastic. The way that we work together with the Home Office International Operations and the NDLEA is astonishing. I manage a lot of countries and teams in Africa and I have a lot of teams across the continent and in Nigeria here is by far head and shoulders above everyone.”
He added: “To be fair, not only in Africa, because I work in Africa I may be biased but across all of our operations, we are massively ahead of everyone and it is really good for me to go back to the UK and highlight the amazing work that NDLEA does with Home Office team in the country. The office has a keen interest in Nigeria and the way that we work to disrupt organized crime and gangs in the country. Congratulations to the NDLEA team for doing a fantastic job.”
The director further revealed that the HOIO has just completed the refurbishing of two patrol boats for the maritime operations of the Agency and vowed to support with more logistics.
Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) in his remarks expressed gratitude to Lloyd and his team for their kind comments about NDLEA’s work, adding that such commendation will further encourage the officers and men of the Agency to do more.
The NDLEA boss stated: “We thank you very much for these encouraging remarks. These commendations coming from you are considered highly because we are glad to be meeting our mandate. I will like to give you the assurances that the NDLEA is very committed to our mandate.
“We plan to go down to the 774 local governments of the country so that at the community levels, we are able to check what is going on there and do whatever needs to be done there. We know these are difficult times in the UK as it is with other countries, and we appreciate that even with that you find the resources to support us is much welcome, especially the training, and capacity building which is very important.”
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