Over 54 countries are in Nigeria to participate at the ongoing 31st meeting of the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, HONLAF, in Abuja to deliberate on strategies aimed at clamping down on the global drug trafficking scourge.
HONLAF is a subsidiary body of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is leading the conversation.
The agency was unanimously elected to host the event between September 26-29, 2023, at its last edition in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima is expected at the event to represent President Bola Tinubu who is yet to return from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Speaking earlier at the event, the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Brig-Gen Mohamed Marwa (retired) said the meeting is essential to foster partnership among Law enforcement agencies in the region.
He said, “Thank you all for the trust in me by electing me as Chair, to lead us through the deliberations of this important meeting which is called upon to further partnership and cooperation among Law enforcement agencies in our region.
“As we all know, inter-governmental meetings are much more substantive discussions, the meeting of HONLAF Africa is also an opportunity to liaise with colleagues and to exchange information at a more informal level.”
Top of the agenda is to address and counter global drug problems, and deliberate on strategies to reduce illicit cultivation and production of drugs including alternative development.
Other subjects include conversations surrounding financial investigation in drug trafficking cases and the role of cryptocurrencies in drug trafficking and related money laundering.
Present at the events are representatives of the Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Defence Staff, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Inspector-General of Police (IGP), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Chief Judge Federal High Court and National Security Adviser among others.
