The Nigerian government and the United Kingdom have recently reaffirmed their commitment to combat drug cartels as part of their ongoing efforts to eliminate serious organized crime within their respective countries. A fresh Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, between Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom.
The MoU was signed by retired Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, the Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, on behalf of Nigeria, and Mr. David Cater, the Regional Manager for West Africa at the NCA, on behalf of the UK.
Speaking on the occasion, Marwa emphasized the significance of the renewed MoU, stating that it would strengthen the agencies’ efforts in targeting complex organized criminal networks, regardless of their hiding places, and bringing them to justice. He further expressed optimism regarding the NCA’s upcoming project, designed to revitalize the Agency’s rebranded Criminal Intelligence Task Force (CITF).
“I look forward, with great optimism, to the requisite specialist capabilities this project will provide to the CITF officials to target and disrupt drug trafficking cartels in our country, the West Africa sub-region, and beyond,” Marwa said.
Marwa commended the continuous technical support provided by the United Kingdom government to the NDLEA and acknowledged the commendable efforts of the dedicated UK NCA personnel, which have inspired the Agency’s CITF officials to tackle serious organized crimes head-on.
The fight against serious organized crime is crucial, as it poses a grave threat to lives and properties in both countries, according to Marwa. He stressed the need to proactively manage intelligence and enhance capabilities to disrupt transnational organized crime syndicates. Renewing the MoU, he explained, is a significant milestone in the collaborative efforts to combat organized criminal groups.
In response, Mr. David Cater, the Regional Manager for West Africa at the NCA, expressed his satisfaction with the MoU renewal. He emphasized the importance of the agreement in enabling both agencies to confront drug cartels and expressed his appreciation for the support and confidence shown by the leadership of the NDLEA. Cater assured the agency that the ongoing project would continuously assist them in achieving success in their assignments.
