To consolidate on the modest achievements recorded in the ongoing collective drives to combat all forms of drug trafficking in the country, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have agreed to synergize their efforts in the anti-drug war.
The partnership was among the decisions taken when the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), paid a courtesy visit to the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, who commended the anti-drug agency’s chairman for the achievements recorded by his team in combating drug-related crimes nationwide.
Mobereola pledged that NIMASA would collaborate with the NDLEA to secure Nigeria’s maritime space against the illicit shipment of drugs, stressing that the Nigerian maritime industry must not be exploited by criminals for illicit drugs.
In his remarks, the NDLEA chief thanked the NIMASA management for the courtesies extended to his team during the visit, pointing out that the need for the two agencies’ collaboration to address the rising threat of drug trafficking through maritime channels has become more imperative now than ever.
According to him, the recent seizures of illicit drugs transported through Lagos ports underscore the need for joint efforts to secure the ports.
For the joint approach in combating the anti-drug war, Marwa advocated the need for a stronger collaboration between the NDLEA’s Marine Command and NIMASA, particularly through the Deep Blue Project, a joint initiative of the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Federal Ministry of Defence, aimed at strengthening maritime security in the country, to enhance the protection of Nigeria’s maritime space.
As part of the collaboration, the NDLEA will sensitize NIMASA staff and cadets under the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) on the dangers of drug abuse and how to mitigate the impact on the citizenry and the economy.
Similarly, the two agencies’ leaders agreed that NIMASA would also explore options to integrate NDLEA personnel into the existing maritime security architecture, particularly the Deep Blue Project to ensure that drug traffickers in the maritime sector are nabbed and prosecuted.
