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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have established a joint team aim at fortify their collaborative efforts against the insidious menaces of drug and human trafficking.
In a decisive move to dismantle the intertwined criminal enterprises, the agencies met in Abuja on Friday.
The NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), warmly received the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, and her management team, underscoring the urgency and importance of their shared mission.
A statement signed by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi quoted General Marwa as congratulating Binta Bello on her appointment to lead NAPTIP, recognizing the critical role of the agency.
He highlighted the intrinsic link between human and drug trafficking, stating, “There’s a linkage between human trafficking and drug trafficking and abuse. Some trafficked persons are used as moles, knowingly or unknowingly, sometimes coerced with drugs to ensure compliance.
“This is a crucial area where deeper collaboration through a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will define unambiguous areas of partnership.”
He assured the NAPTIP Director General of the NDLEA’s unwavering commitment to this enhanced cooperation and promptly announced a three-member liaison team to work directly with their NAPTIP counterparts on mutually agreed areas of synergy.
Earlier, the NAPTIP boss emphasized the imperative of a stronger partnership between the two agencies to effectively disrupt the criminal networks operating in both human and drug trafficking, as well as the associated issue of substance abuse.
“Drug trafficking and human trafficking are increasingly connected, both globally and locally. Tragically, women and children are exploited as drug couriers. Furthermore, victims of trafficking are often drugged and subjected to substance abuse as a brutal method of control,” she revealed.
Binta further pointed out the shared vulnerabilities exploited by these criminal enterprises.
“Both crimes thrive on similar enablers – porous borders, corruption, poverty, weak institutions, and the anonymity of digital spaces. Intelligence reports increasingly reveal overlaps in the networks operating in both spheres, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated and robust response. We firmly believe in the immense potential for a deepened collaboration between NAPTIP and NDLEA, ” she added.
She proposed several actionable areas for joint efforts, including: joint investigations and intelligence sharing; capacity building and cross-training for personnel; a victim-centered approach in their operations; technology and data integration for enhanced tracking and analysis.
To operationalize this enhanced partnership, she suggested the immediate establishment of a liaison team to develop a short-to-medium-term strategic action plan, the scheduling of regular bilateral review meetings, and the exploration of opportunities for international collaboration, where both agencies already have established partnerships.
“I want to affirm that NAPTIP is fully committed to partnership, professionalism, and patriotic service. We are confident that together, we will not only disrupt these devastating criminal networks but also effectively protect and empower vulnerable Nigerians who are so often the ultimate victims of these heinous crimes,” She concluded.