The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has organised a refresher training for handlers in its Canine Unit to sharpen operational skills in narcotics detection.
The training, held at the NDLEA Canine Unit Facility in Lagos, was facilitated by two German technical experts, Mr. Andreas Roscher and Ms. Jacqueline Shüler, in collaboration with the German Bundeskriminalamt (BKA).
According to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Saturday, 11 personnel comprising the Unit Commander, two veterinary doctors and eight handlers with their service dogs participated, alongside five officers from commands in Lagos interested in joining the unit.
The course covered advanced obedience and control, narcotics detection techniques including scent imprinting and search patterns, real-life simulation exercises at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport baggage hall, APM Terminals Apapa and MMIA NAHCO export shed, as well as handler safety and tactics for deployment in high-risk areas.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), described the exercise as part of efforts to build a skilled workforce capable of matching modern drug trafficking networks.
“Our canine teams remain one of the most potent assets in our detection and interdiction efforts, and this is why we will continue to invest in their retraining and welfare,” Marwa said.
He noted that successes recorded at airports, seaports and borders were largely due to the dedication of dogs and their handlers, adding that the partnership with Germany strengthens capacity and aligns operations with global best practices.
Marwa said the agency had noted manpower and logistics gaps facing the unit, including the need for more service dogs, personnel and boarding facilities to cover seaports, airports and land borders, and that plans were underway to address them, in line with recommendations to sustain the refresher training annually.
