The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has significantly enhanced its ability to combat drug trafficking through sea routes following a comprehensive training program conducted in the United Kingdom for its specialized officers.
Strategic International Collaboration
A six-member team from the Agency's Directorate of Seaport Operations, led by Deputy Commander Narcotics Aminu Danjuma Jega, undertook a week-long working visit to the United Kingdom between 19th and 25th October 2025. The strategic engagement was coordinated under the guidance of Mr. Errol Flynn Macdonald of the UK Home Office International Operations (HOIO), which also sponsored the entire training program.
The NDLEA delegation visited crucial British maritime and border enforcement facilities, where they gained exposure to international best practices in multiple areas including maritime intelligence gathering, port security protocols, and inter-agency coordination frameworks.
Comprehensive Training and Practical Demonstrations
During their engagements, the Nigerian officers held extensive discussions with officials from various UK security agencies including the UK Border Force, the National Crime Agency (NCA), Home Office Intelligence, the National Maritime Security Centre, and the Joint Maritime Security Centre in Portsmouth.
The team received comprehensive presentations from the UK National Deep Rummaging Team, which demonstrated modern techniques and procedures for vessel rummage operations specifically designed to detect and prevent illicit drug trafficking through sea routes.
Practical demonstration sessions conducted at Tilbury and Felixstowe Ports provided the NDLEA officers with firsthand experience of how inward-bound containers from Nigeria undergo layered inspection and risk-based screening procedures.
Advanced Technology Integration
A significant highlight of the training was the introduction and demonstration of the Advanced Sea Searcher System, a state-of-the-art underwater detection technology used for locating concealed contraband and drug consignments beneath ships and port structures.
This system's capacity for high-precision underwater searches was identified as a potential game-changer in maritime interdiction operations, offering substantial benefits for NDLEA's future operations along Nigeria's coastal and port environments.
Local Capacity Building and Future Impact
Following the UK training tour, the knowledge transfer continued with a second phase of training on Advanced Container Targeting conducted for an additional 19 NDLEA officers in Lagos from Monday 10th to Thursday 13th November 2025. This five-day residential training was also facilitated by the HOIO Intelligence team.
In his post-training presentation to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), delegation leader Jega emphasized that the international exposure had significantly deepened his team's understanding of intelligence-led maritime enforcement.
"We were exposed to advanced tools, data-sharing models, and inter-agency coordination frameworks that will significantly improve our maritime intelligence gathering and port surveillance operations," Jega stated. "The practical demonstrations we witnessed, particularly in vessel rummage and underwater detection, are invaluable to NDLEA's ongoing efforts to counter transnational drug trafficking through our seaports."
Leadership Commitment to Enhanced Security
In his response, Marwa commended the officers for their excellent representation of Nigeria during the training program. He reaffirmed the Agency's commitment to continuous capacity building and adoption of cutting-edge technologies in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.
"Maritime routes remain critical in global drug trafficking networks. Strengthening our officers' technical capacity and intelligence integration with our international partners is essential to safeguarding Nigeria's borders," Marwa stated. "The lessons from this UK engagement will be vital in enhancing NDLEA's effectiveness in intercepting drug consignments at sea and ensuring safer maritime operations."
The NDLEA boss confirmed that the Agency would continue to deepen collaboration with the UK Home Office International Operations and other global law enforcement partners as part of ongoing efforts to combat transnational organized crime linked to illicit drugs.
