THE National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has stated that 35 officers from its Marine Command and Seaports Operations have attended various training sessions organized by the United Kingdom Home Office International Operations, HOIO.
In a statement issued today, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, stated that the trainings took place “in recent weeks.”
Currently, five are said to be undergoing two weeks of Maritime Patrol and Tactical Coxswain training at the UK’s Central Maritime Training Unit in Southampton.
“The trainings, according to the HOIO, are to enhance the border control capabilities of the NDLEA by providing specialised training, mentoring and advanced drug detection equipment,” Babafemi said.
“Key areas covered so far include: boat handling, weapons handling, riverine operations, boarding and vessel search, among many others.”
He also revealed that some of the training sessions were facilitated by the British Military, Nigerian Navy and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP).
“The ongoing two-week training of five NDLEA marine officers including their first female coxswain will enable them to plan maritime deployments, pursue, stop and board vessels on the high seas,” he said.
British Govt trains NDLEA marine officers in Nigeria, UK pic.twitter.com/hSWnAZmui8
— NDLEA NIGERIA (@ndlea_nigeria) March 25, 2023
