NDLEA, NCA-UK renew MoU to battle drug cartels

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom on Tuesday signed another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to battle drug cartels in both countries.

The agencies said that the renewal of the MoU would enhance efforts to stamp out serious organised crimes in Nigeria and the UK.

The Chairman, NDLEA, retired, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa and David Cater, Regional Manager, West Africa, NCA, signed the MoU at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja.

Marwa said “this renewed MoU will definitely and inevitably propel High Intelligence Driven Operational Tentacles.

“We will seek out the most complex organised criminal networks, no matter their hiding place, to face the wrath of the law”.

The NDLEA boss expressed great expectations in the NCA’s upcoming project with the agency’s rebranded Criminal Intelligence Task Force (CITF)

“I look forward, with great optimism, to the requisite specialist capabilities this project will provide to the CITF officials to target and disrupt drug trafficking cartels in our country, the West Africa sub-region and beyond.

“Our overwhelming gratitude goes to the Government of the United Kingdom for its continued technical support to the Agency.

“Also worthy of appreciation is the commendable efforts of the dedicated UK NCA personnel which no doubt, has inspired the Agency’s CITF officials with deepened enthusiasm to tackle Serious Organized Crimes frontally,” he said.

Marwa said that serious organised crime was dynamic and complex, does not recognise borders, and pose grave threat to lives and properties in both countries.

“It is therefore imperative to aggressively seek proactive ways of managing intelligence and enhancing capabilities for disrupting transnational organised crime syndicates.”

He therefore said that the renewal of the memorandum of understanding was another significant milestone in the agencies’ collaborative efforts to combat organised criminal groups.

In his remarks, Cater said renewing the MoU came was significant to the good works of both NDLEA and NCA, and will enable the agencies take the battle to the cartels.

He expressed appreciation to the leadership of NDLEA for the partnership, assuring that the ongoing project will ensure that the agencies succeed in their assignments. (NAN)