UNODC,NDLEA train Journalists in Abeokuta

Emeka Ibemere

The cosy Lisabi Courts off Oladeinde Joseph Road, Ibarra Housing Estate Abeokuta Ogun State capital played host to collection of journalists from across the country as United States Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA trained Nigerian Journalists across the media.

 The event was organized by UNODC in collaboration with NDLEA, under the EU-funded project entitled: ‘Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crimes in Nigeria’.

According to the organizers, the roundtable was to enable the organization to establish and maintain regular contacts with media practitioners on issues of drugs and related organized crimes in Nigeria.

 James O. Ayodele, the Outreach and Communications Officer of UNODC Nigeria said the event enable both the participants and the organizations discuss how to improve reporting of these issues in the country.

“It will also provide opportunity for you to understand better what NDLEA and UNODC are doing in Nigeria, especially in supporting initiatives to control drug abuse and trafficking”, the release stated. “Your input at the meeting will help strengthen programming in the country”.

The event which started on March 9, and ended  on 12 March, 2014, was a memorable one for the journalists who participated in the event

Mitchell Ofoyeju speaking on the programme said it’s a healthy development for the Nigerian Journalists covering NDLEA, because according to him, it provide a situation where the media were exposed to certain things about the agency’s responsibility and the fight against illicit drug and abuse.

He disclosed that Nigerian journalists were availed the opportunity to use the occasion and assess vital information in their reportage, especially in the fight against drug trafficking. “It is something that one looks forward to”; he said. “It is not a worn off thing, and we are trying to make it a quarterly programme. It is to bring journalists who have been reporting NDLEA”, Ofoyeju disclosed.

According to him, the objective of the programme was to deepen the NDLEA; the journalists on the NDLEA beat to understand the drug situation in the country. He further disclosed that it would help Journalists covering drug war to report it effectively, interpret research material and get their stories.

Ofoyeju stated that participants used the opportunity to fully understand the issue of illicit drug use and control and make it a national discourse to attract the attention of the government in focusing on the dangers of drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria. He said, “It will come regularly, we are going to expand it to include those on maritime beat, crime, judiciary and features desk reporters. There will be future training programme, where we will also bring in editors of the newspapers”.

Speaking further, the Public Relations Officer of the NDLEA, further said that another aspect opportunity of the event was the aspect that brought journalists to know the harmful wave of the drug addiction occasioned by drug use and abuse.

the excursion aspect of the event took journalists to the drug Rehabilitation centre in Abeokuta, where the reporters would interact with the patients who are recovering from drug abuse, and chat with the doctors for them to know the level of damage of illicit drug and abuse. He said the programme was moved to Abeokuta because of the Rehab home so that the journalists saw face to face  with the addicts.

It would be recalled that NDLEA has enjoyed a robust relationship from the UNODC over the years with later providing logistics and training and re-training of the officers and men of the agency. Recently the United Nations Office for Drug and Crimes (UNODC) supported Nigeria with modern drug dependent treatment. UNODC said they are to also build across the six-geo political zones of the country training centres. The project was announced in Abuja, the Federal capital, on 29 January, 2014 by the UNODC

It was gathered that the project was in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The funding is coming from the European Union (EU). UNODC said they would support the establishment of 11 model drug dependent treatment and care centres and six training centres within already established health institutions in Nigeria.

According to the release made available by the UNODC the model treatment centres are planned to be established in Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Aro, FNPH Yaba, FNPH Benin, FNPH Kaduna, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano, Quintessential Health Care Center Jos, FNPH Enugu, and FNPH Maiduguri, while the model training centres would be established in FNPH Aro, FNPH Benin, FNPH Kaduna, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano, FNPH Enugu, and National Hospital Abuja.

The readiness of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Jos University Teaching Hospital, and National Hospital Abuja to house the remaining three model treatment centres would be confirmed after a re-assessment by UNODC in three months’ time.

The choice of the centres were made by stakeholders during a workshop in Abuja on 29 January 2014, to disseminate and discuss findings and recommendations from an assessment conducted by UNODC of 17 drug dependent treatment and care facilities in Nigeria.

The assessment carried out by an eminent expert, Dr Taiwo Adamson, evaluated the capacity of 17 facilities to provide minimum level of care for drug dependence treatment as well as serve as model treatment and training centers. Variables evaluated included infrastructure, bed capacity, staff capacity, therapeutic approaches and inputs as well as client satisfaction.

Mr. Moshood Lawal, Director Traditional Medicine Development Desk, represented the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Ambassador Sani Bala, in the workshop. He thanked participants for attending and encouraged them to make useful contributions that would be beneficial to all Nigerians.

Addressing participants at the workshop, Mariam Sissoko, UNODC Country Representative, said the support to model treatment and training centers was one of several deliverables in the EU funded UNODC implemented Project-‘Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crimes in Nigeria’.

 She disclosed that the assessment and selection processes were standardized and transparent and urged participants to provide necessary support for the success of the initiative.

Mr. Frederic Varenne, who represented the EU at the workshop said.  “The assessment report to be discussed and the decisions to be taken today concerning the selected centers are one of the first actions that will very soon have concrete effects in terms of illicit drug demand reduction in Nigeria under the EU funded project: ‘Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crimes in Nigeria’.

Daily Newswatch gathered that the list of recommended centres would be presented to the Honourable Minister for Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, for approval after which the institutions would be notified officially.  Discussions on minimum standards for treatment and training as well as monitoring and evaluation strategies was to be discussed with each of the institutions and to be followed by training, preparations and the actual support by UNODC.

In the last 20 years, Nigerian and her anti-drug agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made good use of UNODC, US, and the European Union (EU), in providing technology and training in the country’s war against drug trafficking.

Most of the organization’s drug seizures occur at airports using U.S. and UNODC donated body scanners, with the vast majority occurring at MMIA. NDLEA as agency doesn’t have the financial muzzle to acquire five -star equipment that would enable them challenge the array of traffickers that skip through the airport on daily basis.

There are obvious facts that if not for foreign agencies and their governments, NDLEA would have been run underground by poor funding bedevilling the agency.  That the agency is still maintaining little credibility was the help of the United States, United Nations, and United Nations office for Drug and Crime, UNESCO, German government and other countries and their agencies.

Recently, the German Government organized a training programme for twenty-nine (29) officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). German Consular General, Mr. Michael Derus while flagging off the training at the Agency’s headquarters in Lagos described it as vital to drug related crime fighting. Over 10 years now officers have not gone on training to catch up with the modern trends in drug war crimes

 It was gathered that the two weeks intensive course focused on the Suppression of Drug-related Crime with special emphasis on synthetic drugs and precursors as well as evidence handling in drug related offences. Two NDLEA officers are also in Germany on refresher training on drug-related crime fighting.

 According to the Consular General, “this course proposed by the German Federal Criminal Police Office Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) for NDLEA officers covers a vital aspect of drug-related crime fighting. It is aimed at increasing and improving the co-operation efficiency between the BKA and NDLEA. While this training is holding here, we also have two NDLEA officers in German under our scholarship”.

 Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade in his remarks thanked the Consular General for the support.

 “On behalf of the Nigerian Government, I sincerely thank the German Government for supporting the fight against narcotics. It is a testimony to the depth of collaboration between both countries,” Giade stated.

 The NDLEA boss stressed that training is crucial in establishing and sustaining supremacy over drug trafficking cartels. In his words, “if we must continue to win this all-important fight, we must train and retrain officers on latest drug control techniques. The discovery of Clandestine Laboratories for methamphetamine production in the country in the past two years demands that we must build the capacity of officers to cope with new challenges”.

Giade listed some of the assistance rendered by the German Government to the Agency to include sniffer dog handling and training for three NDLEA officers in Dresden/Saxony in Germany with the donation of four sniffer dogs in 2009/2010.  In addition, two air-conditioned buses were donated to the Canine Unit of the Agency to convey the dogs to operational areas.

 The NDLEA boss charged the trainees to take full advantage of the training programme. “Evidence handling is crucial for the successful prosecution of cases while effective knowledge of precursor chemicals is indispensable in Clandestine Laboratory operations. It is by relevant training that individuals and organizations sustains optimum performance. Every participant must exhibit a high level of discipline and decorum”. He said. He assured the Consular General that the knowledge gained from the training will soon translate to more positive result on the Agency’s scorecard.

 As that wasn’t enough, United States of American in the last 23 years existence of the Agency, has played a major role in the sustainability of drug war in Nigeria, through her assistance and elaborate cooperation in making sure that drug demand reduction and trafficking and abuse were brought to their lowest ebb; if not entirely eradicated.

On Tuesday August 27, 2013 at the Conference room of the Agency’s Headquarters on Shaw Road Ikoyi, Lagos State, the US like in the past, donated equipment to the NDLEA, in a low profile ceremony.

United States Consul General, Lagos, Mr. Jeffery Hawkins described Nigeria as a great partner of the United States in drug control. The US envoy who spoke while presenting technical equipment to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lagos, said that the equipment would be used in the establishment of a Centre for intelligence sharing between the two countries.

“NDLEA is a great partner for the United States in drug control. The United States embarks on serious war against narcotics and we are proud to contribute in developing the capacity of the NDLEA through the establishment of a Centre for intelligence sharing,” Hawkins stated. Giade who received the items said that the country’s partnership with the United States has been very fruitful.

“The relationship between the United States Government and the Government of Nigeria has been characterized by similar gestures in the area of technical support. It is important to acknowledge your sustained determination to support Nigeria in winning the fight against notorious drug trafficking syndicates. This assistance to the Agency is highly treasured,” Giade stated.

The NDLEA boss attributed the high performance of the Agency to the growing support and partnership it has with the United States. He stated: “our collaboration in the area of intelligence gathering and joint operations has undisputedly led to high profile seizures and arrests. Training remains vital to the success of any intelligence-driven task like drug control”, he added.

“Your training programmes for operatives as well as high level seminars and workshops have helped greatly to enhance the capacity of personnel. We are appreciative of your support and highly motivated by your continued determination to extend our frontiers of success in the drug war”.

Giade who was smiling all through the handing over of the equipment to the NDLEA couldn’t hide his emotion over the gesture and said,

 “The Agency’s investigative capacity at the airports has been greatly enhanced with the provision of scanners by the United States Government”. He vowed that the Agency would continue to justify the confidence the US repose in the Agency. While appreciating the removal of Nigeria from the Drug Majors List by the US he equally called on the envoy to assist the Agency in advocacy campaign.

In 2012 to be precise, the United States Government donated a set of body scanner to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for use at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos. The  then US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terence McCauley, handed over the scanner to the Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, at the MMIA. Some of the officials in attendance were the then Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren; and Project Coordinator, US Africa Command, Lt Col. Tim Hafner.

The US Ambassador said the new scanner was purchased and installed at $225,000, and was donated to the Nigerian Government by the US Africa Command.

McCauley said the US Mission had bought four other scanners and four new drug and explosive-detecting “Itemizers” for use at Nigeria’s four international airports in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt.

He said, “Drug trafficking is a global problem that requires a global solution. Narcotics trafficking is a multibillion dollar a year business that destroys the lives of countless people, especially the youth. We will continue to fight side-by-side with you against this scourge”.

In 2008, United States Government also donated four body scanners worth $1 million (about N117 million) to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. Speaking then at the presentation of the scanner machines to the NDLEA boss in Abuja the then US Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders, said that U.S. would continue to fight side by side with Nigeria in the fight against anti-drug trafficking Nigeria.

 The NDLEA and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) signed a memorandum of understanding in 2012 to establish a vetted unit of 14 officers to exclusively work with DEA. The unit has begun operations.

Despite NDLEA’s robust achievement in the last 23 years, Nigerian government funding for the Agency remains insufficient. In 2012, the United States facilitated the training of 30 NDLEA officers assigned to Nigeria’s four international airports to enhance detection of drug couriers, and donated an additional body scanner for MMIA; the NDLEA now has one scanner dedicated for arrivals and another for departures courtesy of the US.

The United States works closely with the NDLEA and other law enforcement agencies to strengthen capacity. The United States also promotes greater cooperation between the Nigeria Customs Service and the NDLEA to improve interdiction at the vulnerable seaports and porous land borders.