National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said it has concluded plans to establish full-scale anti-narcotic operations at Benin Airport, as part of intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking in Edo State.
State Commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed this in a statement yesterday in Benin.
The commander said the decision followed a strategic meeting between NDLEA and the General Manager of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr Akinbinu Felix.
Ofoyeju emphasised the growing threat of drug smuggling through air routes and the need for heightened surveillance and inter-agency collaboration.
“The command’s grand strategy is to make Edo State impregnable to drug cartels by air, water and land.
“By doing this, we can prevent the trafficking of illicit drugs and create a safer society,” he said.
The NDLEA boss noted that drug trafficking remains a deeply entrenched threat undermining public health and the socio-economic stability of the state.
According to him, the planned presence of NDLEA operatives at the airport will enable strict monitoring, early detection and interception of narcotics before they reach the end users.
Ofoyeju also elaborated NDLEA’s broader mandate, which include clamping down on cannabis farms, dismantling methamphetamine laboratories, seizing illegal drugs and reducing demand through enforcement and rehabilitation programmes.
He described the planned operations at the airport as a critical extension of these efforts.
Part of NDLEA’s approach, he said, involves intensified public education campaigns, community engagement and a toll-free hotline to provide citizens with access to counselling and drug testing services.
“The introduction of at-home counselling and the culture of drug testing is a strong response from the agency under the leadership of Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd),” Ofoyeju added.
In his remarks, the general manager of FAAN welcomed the initiative, stressing that “the fight against drug trafficking requires a united front.”
He pledged FAAN’s cooperation to ensure that the airport remains secured and free of narcotics activity.
Felix, who previously worked with NDLEA operatives during his tenure at Port Harcourt Airport, expressed confidence in the agency’s capabilities and affirmed his commitment to the partnership.
In appreciation, Ofoyeju decorated him as a War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, partner and presented him with an NDLEA souvenir. (NAN)
