…Commends the German government’s donation
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has commissioned a canine complex donated by the German government in Lagos; it is seen as a boost in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.
This is because the German government said the donation is motivated by the need to ensure the success of NDLEA’s operation to keep Nigeria safe from such dangerous drugs.
Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, in a statement, said Buba Marwa, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, welcomed the gesture, which he said will boost the agency’s fight against the menace of illicit drugs.
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“May I assure all stakeholders that the provision of this facility will significantly drive our fight against illicit drugs, fulfil our core mandate and secure the future of our nation.
He stated that the quality of the infrastructure at the new NDLEA Dog facility is indeed commendable, as it speaks volumes of the commitment, goodwill, and tenacity of NDLEA partners
He commended the German government for its numerous supports to NDLEA, which he said has translated into an excellent performance by the Canine Unit of the Agency over the years.
The donation is also seen as further strengthening the agency’s work to halt the increasing cases of drug trafficking.
He sees the interception of 74.119kg of captagon at the Apapa seaport in Lagos as a striking example of such successful operations aided by sniffer dogs.
He, however, noted that more work is required to sustain the current quantum leap in operational excellence.
“This newly commissioned facility will, without doubt, provide a comfortable and dignified environment that will motivate our Canine Unit personnel to discharge their duties effectively and continue to meet both developmental and interdiction mandates.
“The commissioning of this new NDLEA Dog facility marks a significant milestone in the history of the collaboration between the Agency and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. Everyone who understands the pivotal role of sniffer dogs in drug interdiction will share my sentiment and joy today.
The canines play a critical role, using their heightened sense of smell to identify and detect concealed narcotic substances in cargo and shipments at airports, seaports, land borders, courier service centres, and bus stations.
While buttressing the importance of canines to NDLEA’s successes, Marwa noted that the sniffer dogs have been instrumental to the seizure of over 17.932 metric tonnes of various illicit substances since their deployment in the Agency.
Marwa had noted that in years past, the poor quality of infrastructure used by the Canine Unit limited its capacity to effectively address developmental and operational challenges.
” It is against this backdrop that the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, through the Liaison Office of the German Federal Criminal Police, intervened to sponsor the construction of a modern dog facility for the Agency.”
He commended the German government for always fulfilling its commitments to the Agency in wide-ranging areas covering technical, logistics, and training support. “Most significant is today’s commissioning and handover of the NDLEA Dog facility. The construction of the facility commenced in August 2024 and was completed on schedule”, he added.
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He expressed appreciation to the German Consul General Daniel Krull, the personnel of the Liaison Office of the German Federal Criminal Police and their colleagues in Berlin, Saxony and Sachsen-Anhalt who worked tirelessly to bring the project to fruition.
Krull, in his remarks, said the success of NDLEA’s operation is not only helping to keep Nigeria safe but also of great benefit to Germany.
According to him, “Chairman, I would like to congratulate you on the implementation of this important project, the success and the amazing work of your agency under your leadership.
Speaking in the same light, Florian Bulow, deputy head of section IZ14 BKA, Berlin, said the support for NDLEA is one of the longest-reaching projects the BKA has done in police capacity buildin.g
“If you have such a long cooperation, it’s like in a marriage, it needs love. But love is not everything. You also need trust. So if you trust, you can work together. You also have to share the same goals and values.
