Nigeria and South Africa have set in motion efforts to curb the trafficking of illicit drugs between the two countries.
The two countries are to deepen ties to ensure syndicates operating in Nigeria and South Africa are arrested and brought to book.
According to a statement by the spokesperson for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Femi Babafemi on Tuesday, he said, the nation’s anti-narcotic agency was in talks with its counterpart in South Africa, the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation popularly known as HAWKS, to bring the efforts to fruition.
The statement read, “As part of efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking between Nigeria and South Africa, senior officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, have held a two-day meeting with their South African counterparts in the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation popularly known as HAWKS to forge stronger operational ties that will herald tough times for drug syndicates operating between the two countries.”
On his part, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd) who was represented by the agency’s Secretary, Mr. Shadrach Haruna, said the meeting will bridge the gap and rekindle our efforts to tackle the global drug problem.
He said the two agencies will come up with a Memorandum of Understanding after the meeting.
“Among other expected outcomes of this visit is the need to have a collaborative Memorandum of Understanding to combat drug trafficking and related crimes between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Nigeria and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, HAWKS, of South Africa.
“This will provide a framework for enhanced information exchange, and Joint Operations/Joint Airport Interdiction; all promising dividends that will benefit our two organizations and countries greatly, ” the statement added.
The leader of the South African delegation, Lt. Gen. Senaba Mosipi while speaking stressed that the collaboration between the two countries was necessary because criminals operating in the drug trade recognize no borders or geographical boundaries.
He said, “We can work together no matter the distance between our countries. The operational collaboration between NDLEA and HAWKS is important to combat the operations of criminal syndicates in our two countries”, he added.
