20th March, 2012
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has disclosed that it is currently in talks with Britain’s Serious Organised Crime Agency, SOCA, for a partnership against drug money between both countries.
The disclosure was made at the weekend during a meeting between NDLEA Director General, Mr. Femi Ajayi and the Director of SOCA, Mr. David Armond at the National Headquarters of NDLEA in Ikoyi Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
Ajayi, who received the SOCA delegation, expressed optimism that the partnership will further deepen the working relationship between both countries.
“Nigeria is committed to the fight against organised criminal syndicates. We are prepared to partner with the United Kingdom. It is imperative for us to collaborate in the war against illicit drugs and prevent international drug syndicates from having advantage. This meeting will help in advancing our strategies in drug control,” Ajayi stated.
SOCA Director said that Britain is interested in partnering with Nigeria in tracing the illicit proceeds of drug traffickers particularly assets of Nigerians convicted in the United Kingdom for drug trafficking.
“We are interested in working with our partners who recognise and are willing to deal with the threat of drug trafficking and organised crime. Drug trafficking is a threat to all of us. It encourages corruption because of the huge profit involved. We have expertise in a number of areas and we think we can explore this in tracing the assets and drug proceeds of syndicates. We need to be strict in identification of illicit drug proceeds and take them away,” Armond stressed.
—Simon Ateba