NDLEA, Customs deepen partnership to curb maritime drug trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigeria Customs Service have strengthened their operational collaboration to tackle drug trafficking along Nigeria’s maritime corridor.
The renewed alliance was highlighted during a strategic meeting at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command in Lagos, where the newly appointed Commander of the NDLEA Tincan Strategic Command, Solomon Gbadebo Omotosho, paid a familiarisation visit to the customs formation.
Welcoming the delegation, Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Bolaji Lukman Adigun, stressed the importance of sustained inter-agency cooperation in securing Nigeria’s ports, which are frequently targeted by transnational drug trafficking networks.
He noted that intelligence sharing, joint cargo profiling, and coordinated inspections remain crucial in disrupting the movement of illicit drugs, adding that no single agency can effectively combat the growing sophistication of trafficking operations alone.
Omotosho, in his remarks, pledged to prioritise collaboration with the customs service, calling for real-time communication, improved intelligence exchange, and unified strategies to dismantle organised drug syndicates operating through maritime routes.
The meeting also featured a symbolic exchange of plaques between both agencies, underscoring their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation, enhancing intelligence-driven operations, and safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime borders from criminal exploitation.
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