Drug war: 650 NDLEA officers from Army infantry school

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has scaled up its preparedness to combat drug cartels in Nigeria with 650 officers of its strike force unit graduating from the Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI), Jaji, Kaduna State after weeks of rigorous and specialised training.

According to a statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, 600 Strike Force operatives participated in special warfare training while 50 others had all arms drills training.

The statement quoted the Chairman/Chief Executive of

NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), as telling the graduands to remain professional in their conduct.

Marwa said, “It is important that I should remind you that as the agency scales its operation against illicit drugs trafficking, your service will become increasingly essential to the successful attainment of our organisational goals.

“The special nature of your training requires that you serve as a force multiplier to the conventional NDLEA staff in the field.

“I have no doubt that you will measure up to the demand of the job because generations of military and paramilitary personnel have passed through this course and have distinguished themselves on the field. Moreso, the progress report I received, including on-thespot assessment, confirmed that the objective of the course has been achieved.

Marwa, who was represented by his special adviser, Col. Yakubu Bako (Retd), reminded the operatives that the Strike Force was one of NDLEA’s tactical creations of 2021 to add strength and purpose to its drug supply reduction effort by providing cover for officers and men of NDLEA who have to work in dangerous terrain while carrying out their duties.