The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.)
has said recent training of the agency’s Marine Command officers in diving would discourage large shipments of cocaine to Nigeria.

Marwa stated this while receiving a report of the training from the Agency’s Director of Seaports Operations, Deputy Commander General of Narcotics, Omolade Faboyede.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the new capability would send a strong message to international drug cartels that they have no place to hide their illicit consignments on any ship or vessel coming to Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the officers have gone through basic diving, advanced open-water diving and full-face mask diving.

NAN also reports that eight officers were selected from four countries including two from Nigeria by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

They have undergone the certification training in Bombinhas City, Brazil in two phases; first in November 2023 and then July 2024.

According to the UNODC, the diving training was initiated to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking and transnational crime activities for the four countries: Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Senegal.

The second phase of the training was to qualify professionals certified in basic and advanced diving in public safety diving to conduct ship hull searches, enforce the law and ensure public safety in combating transnational drug trafficking.

Marwa commended the two NDLEA officers, who participated in the training and certification programme for their exemplary performance.

He said, “Their new ability to dive into the sea to search ship hulls will no doubt discourage global drug networks from attempting to send any large consignment to Nigeria.

The NDLEA boss said the agency would continue to be steps ahead of drug cartels in skills and capability to ensure that they have no means to smuggle illicit drugs into Nigeria.

“We will also continue to expose our officers, men and women to training and the use of modern technological tools.

He added that, “This is in our determined bid to keep our country safe by curbing the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

PUNCH