The French government has reiterated its commitment to enhancing collaboration with Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and abuse.
This pledge was made by the French Police Attaché in Nigeria, Phillipe Crespo, during a courtesy visit to the NDLEA in Abuja on Saturday.
Crespo, who led a French delegation, highlighted the importance of the partnership following the conclusion of a series of specialized operations training for the officers of the NDLEA’s Strike Force Unit at the NDLEA Academy in Jos. This training marked the third such session held in the past two years.
During the visit, Crespo expressed his appreciation to NDLEA Chief Executive Officer, Buba Marwa, for his warm reception and continued support of the French team.
He praised Marwa’s proactive approach to collaboration with both local and international partners in tackling substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
Crespo noted that the success of NDLEA’s operations not only protected Nigerian communities but also helped safeguard foreign nations.
He credited the agency’s successful interdiction efforts, which have led to significant drug seizures bound for Europe and other regions.
Looking ahead, Crespo proposed that the strengthened partnership be formalized in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the coming year.
In response, Marwa conveyed his gratitude to the French government for their ongoing support and partnership.
He recalled his 2022 visit to the headquarters of RAID in France, where he requested specialized training for NDLEA personnel. He expressed his satisfaction with the speed and consistency of the training programs, noting that this was the third such exercise.
Marwa emphasized that the global nature of the drug problem required an international approach.
“The drug problem is huge and worldwide, and as such, we require global partnership, collaboration, and every bit of expertise we can acquire to confront the drug cartels and put an end to their activities, which pose a direct threat to public health and the security of countries across the globe,” he stated.
He further highlighted the growing bilateral cooperation, not only between the two agencies but also between the leaders of Nigeria and France, President Bola Tinubu and President Emmanuel Macron.
“Our collaboration is not just growing at the level of drug law enforcement, but we can see the growing partnership between our two leaders, our governments, and our countries; this will in no small measure bring great benefits to both sides,” Marwa concluded.
