The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has established five new strategic commands and deployed body cameras to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency’s operations.
The NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa said this during the decoration ceremony of some elevated personnel of the agency on Wednesday in Abuja.
Marwa named the five strategic commands as Lagos, FCT, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Apapa and Tincan respectively.
He said that there was need for the strategic commands to further help in carrying out the mandate of the agency.
“We are deploying body cameras for the use of our officers on strategic operations.
“This is for the purpose of ensuring their safety and the integrity of such operations,”he said.
Marwa however, charged the elevated personnel to remain upright in the discharge of their duties saying “Let me also seize this occasion to pass some messages to the NDLEA personnel.
According to him, We have come a long way. In three and a half years, we have taken down as many as 50 identifiable drug cartels.
“Some of them important spokes in the wheel of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine distribution in the country and the global trafficking network.
“We have seized a huge quantity of illicit drugs and we have convicted record numbers of drug offenders. We have achieved many milestones without soiling our integrity and I expect us to continue on that course.
“Our core values of integrity, hardwork and transparency, among others, must be respected at all times,”.
The NDLEA boss tasked the officers and men of the agency to continue to justify the trust reposed in the agency by the society, the government, as well as the international partners and governments supporting the agency across the globe.
He said “we have raised the standard and it must not be lowered at any cost or by any means.
“That is to say, we will not take kindly to any news of infractions, indiscipline or corruption from the field or any command.
“The least we demand of any officer of this proud agency is to be upright and committed to our goals, while management continues to work on our welfare.
“The strides of the past three years have put behind us the tribulations of the previous 30 years. We owe the agency allegiance to maintain its integrity.
“We owe the public a duty to not betray the trust reposed in us.
“We owe our government, and our partners and stakeholders supporting us a duty to get the job done.
“Therefore, we must not fail in giving the required sacrifice, patriotism, commitment, honesty, hard work, and all the virtues that go along with this important job and service to the nation and mankind.
Marwa assured them of the management commitment saying that the agency would not relent in the pursuit to create the best paradigm of work, welfare and reward for all.
