The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have established teams to improve collaboration in the fight against drug and human trafficking, as well as substance abuse.
A statement issued on Friday by Femi Babafemi, the spokesperson of the anti-narcotic agency, said the new collaboration was the high point of a meeting between Binta Bello, the director-general of NAPTIP and Buba Marwa, the chairman of NDLEA.
Babafemi said Bello led the management team of NAPTIP on a courtesy visit to Marwa at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to the statement, Marwa said “there’s a linkage between human trafficking and drug trafficking and abuse. Some trafficked persons are used as mules, some may know, some may not know, they may give them drugs sewn into their bag, and they can be drugged to be compliant, to do what they want”.
“So, this is an area that we should collaborate further by signing an MoU that will actually bring about definite and unambiguous areas of collaboration,” he added.
He assured the NAPTIP boss of NDLEA’s preparedness to deepen collaboration with the agency.
Marwa named a three-member liaison team that would work with those from NAPTIP on agreed areas of partnership.
Speaking, the NAPTIP boss stressed the importance of a deepened partnership between the two agencies to the disruption of criminal networks involved in human and drug trafficking, and substance abuse.
“Drug trafficking and human trafficking are increasingly connected, both globally and locally. Women and children are used as drug couriers,” she said.
“Victims are also drugged and subjected to substance abuse as a method of control when they are trafficked.
“Furthermore, both crimes thrive on similar enablers, that is, porous borders, corruption, poverty, weak institutions, and digital space.
“Intelligence reports have shown overlaps in networks operating in both spheres, hence the urgent need for a coordinated response. We believe that there is immense potential for deepened collaboration between NAPTIP and NDLEA.
“Some actionable areas could include joint investigation and intelligence sharing, capacity building and cross-training, victim-centred approach, technology and data integration, public enlightenment and preventive advocacy, and legal reforms.
“And this could be achieved, by our proposal of the next steps to be taken, that is, setting up of a liaison team to develop NAPTIP-NDLEA strategic action plan for the short to medium term activities, schedule bilateral meetings to review our operation partnership at least once or twice a year, and explore opportunities for international collaboration, which we are all aware that the two agencies are closely partnering with various international organizations.”
