NDLEA, Customs seal framework to boost joint operations against drug trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have formalised a comprehensive collaborative framework aimed at streamlining operations and strengthening inter-agency coordination. Director of Media
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have formalised a comprehensive collaborative framework aimed at streamlining operations and strengthening inter-agency coordination.
Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, describing the development as a significant step toward reinforcing Nigeria’s borders against illicit drug flows and organised crime.
According to the statement, the agreement followed a high-level meeting held on Monday at the NDLEA National Headquarters in Abuja, where a communiqué was jointly signed by the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Both agencies acknowledged the growing sophistication of transnational organised crime, particularly drug trafficking, noting that it necessitates a more coordinated and intelligence-driven institutional response. The framework is expected to eliminate operational overlaps, reduce inter-agency friction, and facilitate seamless intelligence sharing.
The leadership of both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to professionalism and mutual respect in executing their mandates, emphasising their shared responsibility to protect national security while ensuring the smooth facilitation of legitimate trade.
The communiqué outlines several critical areas of immediate cooperation including the establishment of a structured and secure platform for the exchange of actionable intelligence to preempt criminal activities; the formation of joint task forces at critical intersection points, governed by clearly defined leadership and operational guidelines.
Other highlights of the communiqué are the commitment to respecting the specific legal functions and jurisdictions of each agency to avoid undue interference; the constitution of a Standing Inter-Agency Committee tasked with resolving any operational disagreements promptly and amicably as well as closer collaboration at all seaports, airports, and land borders to ensure efficient enforcement without duplicating efforts or delaying legitimate trade.
Both Marwa and Adeniyi reiterated that the partnership is a national interest priority by aligning the strengths of the NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs Service, to create a more formidable barrier against the trafficking of illicit substances and improve the overall security architecture of Nigeria’s entry and exit points.
