After weeks of intensive special operations training for officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by men of an elite tactical unit of the French National Police, popularly called RAID, the government of France has assured the anti-narcotics agency of more collaboration and support.
The assurance was given at the weekend by the French Police Attaché in Nigeria, Mr. Phillipe Crespo, when he led the trio of Messrs. Phillipe Barrau, Tony Albaladejo and Cedric Hocquette on a courtesy visit to the chairman/chief executive officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) at the Agency’s national headquarters in Abuja.
A statement signed by the NDLEA director of advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Saturday, said the visit followed the conclusion of series of special operations training for officers of Strike Force Unit in NDLEA at the Agency’s Academy in Jos, Plateau State, the third of such trainings in the last two years.
Speaking during the visit, Mr. Crespo commended Marwa for the warm reception always accorded the French team and his willingness to collaborate with local and international partners in his determined effort to curb the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.
He said the success of NDLEA’s operations is not only helping to protect Nigerians and Nigerian cities but equally communities in foreign lands through the Agency’s interdiction efforts that had led to huge seizures of assorted illicit drug consignments heading to Europe and other parts of the world.
He said as a result, the French government through the French National Police will continue its support and collaboration with NDLEA. He proposed that the growing partnership should be documented in a memorandum of understanding in the new year.
In his remark, French technical expert, Phillipe Barrau, praised the diligence, expertise and professionalism of NDLEA officers involved in the three weeks training exercise, adding that both sides had a lot to learn from each other. He commended the support and capacity of the Agency’s Academy, which made the programme seamless and successful.
In his response, Marwa expressed appreciation to the French government for the support and partnership. “I remember in 2022 when I visited the headquarters of RAID in France on invitation and I made a request for this type of training, I never knew it’s something that will come so fast and this consistent. Soon after that visit, a team of experts were sent to train our personnel and I am glad this is the third of such exercise.
“The drug problem is huge and worldwide, and as such, we require global partnership, collaboration and every bit of expertise we can acquire to confront the drug cartels and put an end to their activities which pose direct threat to public health and the security of countries across the globe.
“It is therefore a thing of joy that our collaboration is not just growing at the level of drug law enforcement, but we can see the growing partnership between our two leaders: President Bola Tinubu and President Emmanuel Macron; our governments and our countries; this will in no small measure bring great benefits to both sides,” Marwa stated.
He welcomed the proposed MoU and expressed his preparedness to see that the relationship between the two organisations continues to grow.